Christ down from above or to descend that is to bring Christ from beneath c. but the word to wit Christ is nigh thee in the heart and in the mouth to be obeyed and done and this is the Word of Faith that Paul preached nigh in the heart Even Christ in them â—he living hope that was as an Anchor to their Souls sure and stedfast the hope of Glory And Paul exhorted the Corinthians to examine themselves and to prove themselves whether they were in the Faith whether they knew not Christ to be in 2 â—or 13. 5. them except they were Reprobates And John in his writing to the Saints reminds them of that within which they had heard from the beginning and says to them Let that remain in you to wit The word which was in the beginning which you have heard from the beginning and if it shall remain in you ye shall continue in the Son and in the Father and tells them That they should not need that any man should teach them but as the anoynting which they had received of God abiding in them should teach them which was the Truth to wit Christ the Truth in them the anoynted the anoâ—nting And as he had and did teach them so they were to abide in him so they knew Christ in them witnessed the Power of God within the Truth witâ—iâ— the Word nigh in their hearts the Spirit of God in their inward parts by which they were led guided taught anâ— instructed For so many as are the Sons of God saith Paul are led by the Spirit of God and he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his and this gave them an understanding in the things of God even the Spirit of God For no man knows the things of God saith Paul but by the Spirit â—f God through which he was made anable Minister of the New 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 12 Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit which giveth life And he Preached the everlasting Gospel Christ the Power of God the Word nigh in the heart and said If our Gospel be hid it is hid from them that are lost in whom Mark in whom the God of the world the Prince of the power of the Air that wicked spirit that worketh in the hearts of the children of disobedience hath blinded their minds lest the light of the glorious Gospel Christ Jesus should shine in and unto them But God who commandeth light to shine out of darkness hath shined Mark in our hearts to give us the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus and we have this treasure in the Earthen vessel that the glory may be of God and not of us so the Saints Preached up Christ the Word of Life the Light the Truth within and Rom 1. 19. 1 Cor. 12. 7. Tit. 2. 11. said That which is is to be known of God is manifest in them and Paul says That the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall and the free Grace of God saith he Mark that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that we denying ungodliness and worldly lusts should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world And the Saints they witnessed their reconciliation and were born again they felt and knew that in themselves of which they were born again even Christ 1 Pet. 23 24 25. in them the Seed incorruptible the Word of God which lives and abides for ever by which they were begotten again unto God and quickened by the Word of life even they who were once as dead stones were raised up as living Children unto Abraham and so they came to taste that the Lord was good and gracious to taste and handle of the Word of Life and to seed upon the Bread 1 Cor. 12. 13. of Life and to drink of the Cup of Blessing and so by one Spirit were baptised into one body and were made to drink into one Spirit wherein they worshipped and served the Lord God and had Unity with the Lord in and through the Eternal Spirit and Unity one with another which united their Souls unto each other and unto the Lord God over all blessed for ever Ah dear people you in whose hearts there is true desires and secret thirstings after the living God where-ever ye are scattered among the many Sects and people towards you doth my soul yea my tender soul yearn and stream with love and good-will and for your sakes dear people doth my Soul travel in the womb of Supplication that you might come to enjoy that which you are seeking after and come to possess that you are thristing for and for your sakes mostly is this written in tender bowels of unfeigned love and pity to your souls And dear people you that have true desires in you after the Lord and hath been seeking of him where you cannot find him and hath been running from Mountain to Hill and from Hill to Mountain from one broken Cistern to another from one dead Form to another but still are unsatisfied and are sensible that you still notwithstanding your long profession and confession of God and Christ in words and notwithstanding your practicing some things that you read of which the Saints once performed in obedience of the Spirit of Truth which led them thereunto want the feeling enjoyment of the Love and sweet Peace of God and go groaning daily under the burden of the bondage of sin and corruption and desires to be set free therefrom Oh dear people retire retire with your minds inward you who have been seeking a God a far off and hunting after the Lord without retire to within and wait to know the Lord God near you to know his pure Truth in your inward parts his pure Spirit in you to lead and guide you to teach and instruct you for God is a Spirit and his teachings are spiritual he must be known in Spirit worshipped in Spirit and in Joh 4. 21 22 23 24. Truth not at the Mountain neither at Jerusalem not in this set Form nor in the other Form As lo here and lo there but in the Spirit is the Lord God known and worshipped aright by them who are born of the Spirit And so the spiritualized people who are born oâ— the Spirit and lives in the Spirit and are taught and led by the Spirit of Truth these are the peculiar people who Worship the God of Truth who is a Spirit in the Spirit and in the Truth and these are acceptable Worshippers with the Lord who own no Worship but his own which he teacheth his people by his Spirit and they that is ignorant of the Spirit of God they are ignorant of the true Worship of God which is in the Spirit and although such may seem to Worship God yet their Worship is not of God nor accepted with God It is the purified Sons of Levy who have passed through
visited in his endless unchangeable Love even in his making known and manifesting in and unto your souls his pure pretious Truth whereof he hath in measure made you pertakers with his dear Children and Witnesses of in your measures blessed be his Name who hath raised you up to bear a Testimony for him and his Truth which you profess who also hath inabled you through the power of his Love thereunto in this the day of your tryal in that great Town And my dear Friends my soul earnestly desires that you all may dwell and abide in the remembrance and living sence of the loving-kindness of the Lord towards you in his freely making known his Truth unto you that indeed the sence of his Love may bind your hearts and souls to be faithfull unto the Lord and his truth which you profess in still bearing your Testimony for the same in this the day of tryal standing as noble faithfull witnesses for the Truth every one of you in your measures amongst that hard hearted and crooked Generation in the midst of whom my dear friends you in the Light may shine as Lights in the blamless Life and unreproveable Conversation even to the praise of the Lord God and to the honour of his truth which you profess Now dear friends the Lord hath caused you hitherto to bear a testimony for him and against that wicked spirit of Persecution which would limit the Lord in his people in this particuler fix in your meeting and assembling your selves together in his fear to wait upon him and to worship him in spirit and in truth though it hath been though Sufferings And dear friends in the meekness of love unfeigned I Cry unto you saying oh do not grow faint nor weary of bearing your testimony still for the truth and worship of God in your meeting together in his name for dear Friends wherein can we in one particular exercise of the spirit of truth bear a larger testimony for the truth then in our meeting and assembling our selves together in the truth to worship the God of truth in the spirit of truth seeing that this is the thing above many which the wicked spirit of persecution doth so eagerly and so highly oppose and so eanestly seek and so greatly indeavour to deprive us of and confine us from wherefore dear Friends I cannot but in the Love and Zeal of the truth exhort you all not to neglect meeting together in the fear of God so long as the Lord permit you Liberty so to do And oh let not the smalness of your number you little Flock who are hated and rejected by the world be any discouragement to you in this matter but oh rather be you incouraged thereby in the strength of the Lord in love to his truth to bear up your testimony in that great Town in the midst of so many Persecutors faithfully in your measures even to the honour of the Lord his truth My dear friends let me say again neglect not meeting together through giving way to the slothâ—ul careless spirit or through letting in the fear of man into your hearts for indeed my dear friends although you be a poor small Remnant for whom my soul travelleth with the Lord for your preservation yet behold as you keep your meetings in the fear and name of the Lord you will feel and injoy his living presence in and amongst you which will make your meetings profitable unto you And dear Babes in stillness quietness in peace patiâ—nce and contentedness possess your souls in the dominion of truth to reign over all those thoughts reasonings and consultings which the Enemy of your souls would infuse into your minds whereby he would raise trouble and tumult in your hearts and bring faintness and weakness upon you And dear Friends lend not an ear to listen after the rumours and reports of the world nor heed not the boasting of the wicked neither regard the threatning of truths Enemies but dear Babes continually lend an ear unto the Lord and hearken you unto his Counsel and have continual regard unto him in your hearts and wait to feel his presence with you continually and know your unity with him and every perticular one feel and find in your selves that the Lord God almighty is on your sides and then my dear Friends you need not matter who are against you if the Lord be for you so dear Lambs be faithful to the Lord and to his truth in your measures and be not Dâ—scouraged nor Danted through the sence of the rage wroth and bitterness of your Enemies and through the feeling of your own weakness and feebleness but trust ye in the Lord and hope ye in his tender bowels which are opened with groanings of compassion towards his poor afflicted suffering people who is and yet will be a strength to the poor and needy a refuge unto them from the storm and a shadow unto them from the heat a helper in the time of need a Deliverer out of trouble in the greatest straits who will appear to help his helpless ones whâ— have no other helper but the Lord. So the Lord God almighty be with you and gird up your loins with Courage Boldness Strength and Valour and spread upon you the mantle of faithfulness and cause you to persevere on in the perpetual patience and to abide in the continual content therein to run the race that is set before you which you have begun And the Lord almighty of heaven and of earth for his own seeds sake keep you from fainting by the way and carry you through all whatever either outwardly or inwardly you do or may meet withal and keep you and preserve you unto the end that in the end dear Lambs we may lay down our heads together in the sweet bosom of the Lord God of everlasting rest peace and quietness in whose sweet meek heavenly humbling melting love my soul dearly salutes you all and commits you all unto the Lord God almighty Farewell dear Friends Dwell together in that love which thinks no evil therein forgiving and forbearing one another even as the tender God of bowels hath forgiven you and born with you day after day and time after time and dwell all in the meek spirit of self-denial keeping the unity in the spirit in the bond of peace Norwich-Castle the 3 d Moneth 1664. Your tender Friend and Brother WILLIAM BENNIT God only Exalted in his own Work OR THE Works of God Praiseth him in Sion OR A Song of Deliverance from a great and sore Captivity Thraldom and Bondage under the King of Egyptian Darkness the God of the World where the Soul was fast bound as with strong Chains and Fetters but now Ransomed by the out-stretched Arm of Gods Almighty Power and art come to Sion with Songs of everlasting Joy upon thy head and hast obtain'd joy and gladness and thy sighing and mourning is fled away witnessed unto and experienced in that Vessel whose earthly
Earth have cause to speak well of the Lord and to trust in his holy Name we are the People for mightily and wonderfully hath the mighty God done and wrought for us though the blind World sees it not Oh! how have we been as Lambs among Lyons and yet not devoured but wonderfully preserved by the secret Power and invisible Arm of the Lord our Shepherd who hath been our Defence when the Beasts of the Forrest have come forth to Devour and the Wolves have been greedy of their Prey then hath the Lord sought for Mount Sion and defended the Hill thereof and though some said We 'll pursue we 'll overtake our Lust shall be satisfied on them we 'll draw our Swords and our Hands shall destroy them yet how hath the Lord blown in his Wrath upon them the Sea of his Judgment hath covered them and they are sunk as Lead in the bottom of the mighty Waters and we yet through mercy are alive and have a being among the Living to speak well of the Lord and to make mention of the Goodnesâ— of our Good and to declare of his Kindness and to praise him for his Works which are marvelous in our Eyes Oh! his Love his Mercy and tender fatherly care over and towards us extends beyond the demonstration of Words and oh let the sense thereof be engraven upon the table of our Hearts that it may humble us and keep us low before the Lord and be an Obligation upon every Soul of us to bind and engage us unto the Lord and his Truth forever How mightily hath the Lord limitted and quieted the raging Sea and made a Calm oh that all Friends might take notice of the great Mercy and Love of the Lord to us in this particular and mind the end of the Lord therein and let us all take heed we Sin not because Grace and Mercy to us abounds lest it provoke the Lord to Anger and be a moving cause to induce him to let forth the Wind and suffer a Storm again Oh that none might get into a false ease and liberty and wrong security because of the present Calm but all to keep retire in that which fitteth and maketh ready for Tryals when they come in by and through which we have been upheld preserved hitherto even by the secret Power Arm of the Lord which is not shortned that it cannot save but is the same that ever it was and it hath been our Helper in six Troubles and in the seventh has not been wanting to us to help us when there hath been none to help and to support and uphold us when there hath been none to uphold but Loads Burdens and Oppressions have been heaped upon us and to comfort us when nothing but Sorrow and Trouble from the World compassed us about and when we have had nothing as from men but the Bread of Adversity the Water of Affliction even then hath the Lord our tender God been the Comforter of our Hearts the Refresher of our Souls the Rejoycer of our Spirits and the Lifter up of our Hands when we have been bowed down with the Oppressions of our Enemies his â—resence hath been with us in the Prison-house and in the low Dungeon and hath not left us to this day and assuredly never never never will leave us if we leave not him but will be with us until we have finished our Course and fulfilled the dayes of our appointed Time and our Change come So dear Friends unto the Lord I commit you who knoweth how it is with all his Babes and Children and beholdeth all their Tryals Straits and Sufferings inward and outward and his ear is open to the cry of the Poor and groanings of the Needy who is God all-sufficient for all those that trust hope relie and depend upon him and able to keep them by his power through Faith in his Name unto his heavenly Kingdom So the Lord be with you all and the Almighty protect and defend you and keep you from Evil unspotted from the World and preserve you in Love Peace and Unity with himself and one with another in his innocent unfained Love in his Light Life Power and Truth and make and keep you all of one Heart and one Mind and one Soul that you all with one consent may still worship and serve the Lord God in the one Spirit and the one Truth in which I dearly greet salute and embrace you all and remain your Friend and Companion in the Patience and Tribulation of Jesus Farwell dear Friends William Bennit Dear Friends IN the Love which waxeth not Old neither is subject to Change which God hath shed abroad in the hearts of those that believe in the Light through the operation of his Eternal Spirit in this Love which openeth our Hearts unto the Lord and one another doth the unfeigned Salutation of my Soul reach forth unto you as in which Love Iabide I cannot forget the Family of Love and Houshold of Faith neither can length of Time nor distance of Place â—onds nor Tribulations extinguish the remembrance of you whom the Lord â—ath chosen out of the Elect Seed from out of the Faâ—ilies of the Earth to place his Name among and to maniâ—est his Power and Glory in and through you his People to the praise of your God in your Generation dear Friends who are called to be made pertakers of the Blessed Everlasting Inheritance of the Saints in Light and through Faith in the Light of Life you are called and raised up to bear Testimony unto him whom the Nations Despise but unto you that believe in him he is Pretious and you that have seen his Bâ—auty and beheld his Comliness and have tasted of his Love and have savoured the sweetness of his preâ—ious Oyntment which hath healed your Wounds and cured your Diseases and with which your Souls have been Bathed Warmed and sweetly Refreshed unto you that have tasted of his Divine Vertues who is the Light of â—he World he is the chiefest of ten Thousand who hath called and chosen you out of the World to follow him in the Regeneration and to bear his Image before the World and to shew forth his Testimony against the World therefore do the World hate you and desire and seek your Destruction and would tempt you and by cruelty force you from the beloved of youâ— Souls but dear Hearts every one cleave in spirit unto the Lord and hold fast his blessâ—d Truâ—h received into your Hearts that the Enemy within nor his Instruments without by all their Temptaâ—â—ons and Cruelty may never move you to decline nor degenerate from that blessed Testimony which God hath given you to bear for him in the midst of a Wicked and Uâ—godly Generation who must fill up the measure of their Iniquity that Judgment may come upon them to the full and the measure of your Sufferings must also be fulfilled therefore dear Lambs hold fast Faith and a good Conscience and pâ—t
who sits upon the earthly Throne unto the most Inferior in the Kingdom and by this Principle of Love in our own hearts which is of God we are made to bear Love and Good will towards all people and by it we are taught to loy Enemies to Bless and Curse not to Pray for them who De spitefully useth us and to do Good to them that Beateth us and not in the least to render Evil for Evil but endeavour to overcome in our selves and others Evil with Good and by it we are preserved from joyning with the spirit of Envy and from being led by the spirit of Revenge which ruleth in many and leadeth into secret Plottings and evil Contrivances by way of Conspiring to raise Tumult and Insurrection which spirit with all its fruits we deny and judge and all those who are led by it to Contrive and Plot against any or to seek the Destruction of any people though our Enemies such we disown and their actions we defie the Lord is our witness And by the Principle of Love in our hearts are our Consciences made very tender to God-ward insomuch as that we would not willingly and knowingly sin against him and are willing rather to suffer the loss of all External things yea even Life and all then to break our peace with God which we value more then ten thousand Worlds and because we endeavour in the strength and power of the principle of love in our hearts to keep our Consciences void of offence towards God and because we dare not do those things though they be set up by men and tollerated and compelled to be done by a Law which we are perswaded by the unerring spirit of Truth we ought not to do neither joyn with any therein and because we dare not forbear doing those things though prohibited by the Laws of men there from which we are perswaded by the spirit of Truth is our duty towards God to do and perform therefore are we a suffering People this day and for no other Cause the Lord is our witness to the truth hereof And ever since the Lord our dear and tender God who alone hath been and now is our Helper Strength and Refuge and hath stood by us and supported and preserved us or else we had not been a People at this day did raise us up to be a People for to bear witness to his Way and Truth and against the false Ways evil Works false Worships Idolatry Sin and Wickedness of the World we have been a suffering People and all along we have suffered by every Power that hath come up to Rule and all along we have suffered for only our Consciences towards God if our Enemies have had no Law in force against us neither could find any thing on our parts whereby they might take a just occasion against us then have they as Daniel's Persecutors did against him who sought his Destruction without a Cause given them by him even made Laws on purpose to Insnare us and Trappan us concerning our Conscience towards God for which we did suffer by the other Rulers even many ways viz. by Stocking Stoning cruel Whipping Rayling Reviling and cruel Abuses even Imprisonment until Death and spoyling of Goods in a more abundant manner then I can relate and all hath been for our Consciences to God all which we have born and waded through in Patience through the strength of the upholding merciful Arm of our God and by him have been kept from seeking Revenge upon our Enemies but have committed our Cause to God who Judgeth Righteously and Justifieth those whom men Condemn unto whom alone Vengence belongs and he will repay it who will render unto man according to his Works And even at this day our Sufferings are greater then before and now are we even as Sheep appointed for the Slaughter and all is because we endeavour to keep our Consciences void of offence towards God and because we dare not joyn with that Idolatrous Worship which God abhors but must as moved of the Lord rather bear Testimony against Idolatrous Worships and Worshippers vvhatever vve suffer And because vve dare not Svvare at all knovving if vve should Svvear at all we should then transgress the Commands of Christ Matthew Chaper 5. Verse 34 c. James Chapter 5. Verse 5 c. And because vve follovv the practices of the Primitive Christians and dear not forsake the Assembling of our selves together but must as vve are taught of the Lord meet together in the pure fear and dread of the Name of the Almighty God even for no other end the Lord vvho knovveth the secrets of all hearts is our vvitness but to Wait upon the Lord and to Pray to the Lord and to Build up Strengthen and Edifie one another in the Lord and to Serve and Worship God in Spirit and in Truth vvherein God vvho is a Spirit is only Worshipped aright by his Spirituallized people vvho are born of the Spirit and guided and led by the Spirit of Truth into all Truth And it is not in Rebellion and Contempt to King Charles and his Lavvs that vve meet together to vvorship God neither do vve do it in a Cross Stubborn Self-vvill as by some vve are charged the Lord is our vvitness but even in a Cross to our ovvn vvills and in Obedience to the vvill of God vvhere fore vve have peace in the Lord for vvhose sake vve suffer and stand justified in the sight of God though by Men and their Lavvs counted Transgressors Novv Friends as your Moderation in measure hath appeared in this day of hot Persecution and hath been manifested heretofore tovvards the Lords tender Conscientious people in this Tovvn vvhich I believe the Lord hath taken notice of who hath regard unto those vvho have respect to his people and truly it is my Souls desire even for your ovvn good that your Moderation tovvards the people of God called Quakers or any other people vvhose Consciences are tender to God-vvard may continue still and increase more and more so as that ye might not in the lest degree have a hand any more in the Sufferings of the Innocent but might rather chuse as meek Moses did to suffer Affliction vvith the Suffering Abused Tribulated Afflicted People of God then to be found Prosecutors of any unjust Lavv against them for indeed happy in that particular is the man that hath no hand in the sufferings of the Lords people for sure I am the Lord God hath regard unto his people though disregarded by such as know not God nor his People and though Hated and Persecuted by the World yet Loved of the Lord and very dear unto him and though Contemptible Ridiculous and Absurd in the eyes of the wisemen of this World yet Beautiful Comely Delectable and Precious in the eyes of the Lord and what evil any do to them because of their Consciences towards God the Lord takes it as done unto himself and if one
by you I count not my Life too dear to part with for the Testimony of my God in whom is my Confidence Trust and Hope who hath formed me for his praise whose I am unto you my Conscience I have cleared and whether ye will hear or forbear I am clear of your Blood who am a Friend to your Souls and Bodies and desire the welfare of both and am one who loveth righteous Government and Governours who are for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well and such Rulers I truly honour in my heart though not with the vain custom of the Hat neither with the deceitful flattering titles of this World This is from a true lover of your Souls who desâ—reth your everlasting welfare and tranquility in the Lord who is a Sufferer by you but not for evil doing but for doing well the Lord is his witness that this is true whose Servant he is whatever he be by you or any accounted of Edmonds-Bury common Goal this 8th Month 1665. William Bennit To Friends of Truth in the Town of Colehester Greeting DEarly beloved Friends and Brethren who have tasted of the love and goodness â—f the Lord and of the sweetness and pretiousness of his unchangable Truth the virtuous workings and powerful opperations whereof you have felt in your hearts whereby you witness and experience in measure your Souls set at liberty from the bondage of Sin and Corruption to serve the living God in holiness of Life to the praise of your God who hath raised you out of the dust by his Power and quickned you by his Life and formed you by his own Wisdom and given you his good Spirit to guide and lead you teach and counsel you comfort and refresh you oh he hath given you a taste of the Word of Life and power of the World to come oh he hath living Witnesses of his Name and Truth whereof you are made partakers and that which you have seen and known felt and tasted of the same you have through the strength of the Lord born Testimony unto even by Word by Deed by Life and Conversation and through great Sufferings manifold Tribulations and Afflictions all which the Lord your tender God hath inabled you to wade through and hath kept you from fainting unto this day who hath been with you in six Troubles and in the seventh dear Babes he hath not left you but in all your Afflictions for his Name-sake he hath been afflicted with you and the Angel of his presence hath been your defence on the right hand and on the left oh how hath he carried you in his tender Bosome and born you up in his Arms and lead you gently when you were Weak Young and Tender and made the Crooked strait and the Rough smooth before you and thrown down many a high Mountain before you and removed many a lofty Hill out of your way who hath made a way for you in the Wilderness and a path through many a Thickit and hath made the hard things easie he hath been a Shelter to you from the Heat and a Refuge to you from the Storm and many a time hath been unto your Souls as the shadow of a Rook in a weary Land who hath given you Bread when you were Hungry and Water to satisfie your Thirst who Strengthned you when you were Weak and Inriched you when you were Poor who Healed you when you were Wounded and bound you up when you were broken to Pieces who Comforted you in the midst of Sorrow and hath Refreshed you when you have been heavy hearted and lifted up your heads when they were bowed down because of the Oppression of your Enemies Oh how exceeding large is the love of the Lord your tender compassionate God of endless bowels of tenderness oh your own experience of his Love his Mercy his Pity his Compassion his Goodness his Kindness and his Tender Fatherly Care and Dealings towards you is much larger then what I can demonstrate with words oh how can you then but still trust in his Name rely upon his Arm and depend upon his saving Health and hope in his tender Bowels who is the same yesterday to day and for evermore who hath been with you when Trouble hath compassed you round to keep you from Dispair and with you in the midst of Perplexity to keep you from being Distressed and with you in the midst of Persecution to Sucker and Cherish you and refresh your hearts as with New Wine and oh surely dear Babes he is with you still to Comfort you still to Refresh you still to Feed and Nourish you still to Strengthen you still to Uphold and Support you still to Keep and Defend you and surely he will never leave you nor forsake you if you forsake him not but will cleave unto you as you cleave unto him and will still be your God and you shall be his People still and rest in him for ever when in this World you shall be no more Oh dear Friends my soul loveth you wherefore I cannot forget you but often remember you especially since the Lord hath been pleased to visit that place with such fore Affliction and to give it to drink so deeply of the Cup of his Righteous Judgments and oh my soul desires that the Lord may keep and hide your Souls in the hollow of his hand whatever Affliction he suffers to come upon your Bodies and oh that he may inable you to wade through all and to bear all with Patience and Contentedness and think not any of you the Lord cares not for you or that he dis-regards you â—ecauâ—e he doth or may permit the Beesom of his Righteous Juâ—gements which he hath sent forth to sweep away the Wâ—cked to sweep away many of your Bodies from off the Earth neither murmur against the Lord who may do what pleaseth him and yet all his doings are Equal and Righteous altogether and how strange soever his doings appear to the carnal reasoning fleshly part yet assuredly he intends good in all his deallings towards all the honest simple innocent upright hearted ones and it is inwardly well with such whatsoever outwardly the Lord suffereth to befall them and it shall be well with their Souls eternally whatever the Lord permits to come upon their Bodies and truly the sence of these things I know doth cause Joy to spring inwardly in the midst of outward Sorrows and Comfort in the midst of Heaviness Rest in the time of Trouble and Content and Satisfaction in the midst of Affliction and maketh that soul to bear all with patience without murmuring against the Lord and makes such to say The will of God be done well it is the Lord that suffereth it thus to be and why should I murmur against him seeing he knoweth what is best for me and will not suffer any thing to besal me but what through his Love and Mercy shall work for my good as I cleave
Babes we had need continually to stand upon our watch Tower having the Loins of our Minds girded up unto God with the Girdle of Truth having on the Breast-plate of Righteousness and the Shield of Faith the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God that we may be able to send off the Fiery Darts of the Ememy within and be able to shun his Wiles and to keep out of his Snares that we may never be betrayed of the simplicity and innocency of Truth as it is in Jesus Oh how hath he prevailled over some and drawn them into a self separation and particularily from the Body which is joyned unto Christ the Head from whom the Body receiveth Vertue whereby every Member is Nourished and all comes to supply its Plaee and Office in the Body and so is of service to the Body as it keeps its Order and so every Member being in unity one with another are as meet helps one to another and so the Strong in some things may help the Weak and the Weak in some things may help the Strong so that the Hand cannot say unto the Foot I have no need of thee but every Member to be as Servants one to another and all in Subjection to Christ the Head that the encrease of the Body may be witnessed unto the Edifying of it self in Love Dear Friends if some who under pretence of ceasing from Man and Words and Forms c. doth absent from the Assemblies of the Righteous and withdraw from the Meetings of the People of God c. yet I hope the Lord will preserve you from that Spirit and I hope the Love and Power of his Truth will stir up your Hearts and constrain you to be very diligent and faithful in meeting together in the holy Fear and Name of the Lord God to wait diligently upon him in the measure of his Light Life and Truth received that so ye may daily receive Teaching Counsel and Instruction from the Lord and receive of his heavenly Dew and Vertue whereby you may daily be Quickned Warmed and Inlivened in the inward man and be kept alive unto God Green and Fresh as the Willow by the Rivers side as the Lillies in the Vallies and as a watered Garden giving a sweet smell and delectable savour that the Blessings from on high may be showred down upon you more and more that your Fruit may encrease to the praise of his holy Name So dear Babes I commit you unto the Preservation and Protection of the Lord God who in this the day of great Tryals hath mightily stopped the raging Sea and hath limited the proud Waves thereof and hath shut up her Floods as he hath seen meet oh let every poor little tender honest hearted one put their trust in the Lord if they be never so Poor Weak and Feeble in their own Eyes let them cast their care upon the Lord for he careth for them and rely upon the arm of his Mercy and hope in his tender Bowels and he will be Strength to thee who without him art Weak and he will be Riches to thee who without him art Poor believe and trust thou in him and hearken not to the false Accuser neither joyn to the Consulter but be still and know the Lord is God al-sufficient for thee and all those that lean upon him for Help and that depend upon him for power he is able and ready to save in the hour of Temptation to support in the day of Tryal to uphold in the greatest Storm and to keep in Patience until it be over and gone and a Calm comes again Dear Friends and Brothren in that Love which is unspeaâ—able doth my Soul dearly salute you and imbrace you simpathising with you in your Tryals desiring to Mourn with all them that Mourn and to Rejoyce with them that Rejoyce and unto him you are left who is able to Comfort the Mourners among you and is ready to left up the Light of his refreshing Countenance upon the heavy hearted and bowed down under the burdens of the Righteous Seed to strengthen the feeble Knees and to heal the Wounded and bind up the broken in heart that they that hath or doth sit in the solitary place of Mourning may be filled with the Joy of the Lord and that they that yet are bowed down with the false Accuser of the Brethren and lie mourning in the pit of Distrust Unbelief and Desparation may mount upon the wings of Faith unto thâ— holy hill of Zion thereon to stand with the Lamb and to sing the new Song which none can sing but the Redeemed of the Lord so be it saith my Soul From your true Friend and Companion in the Faith and Patience and long Suffering of Jesus who is often with you in Spirit though in Body Separated and Confined from you being still close shut up in Prison with several of the Lords Lambs whose good Presâ—nce is with us blessed be hâ—s Name upon whom we wait for Deliverance believing that the Almighty God who delivered Just Lot from the Wicked Sodomits whose Ungodliness vexed his Righteous Soul from day to day and who delivered his People of Old out of Egypt and freed them out of the Hands of oppressing Pharaoh and who delivered David out of the Paw of the Lyon out of the Paw of the Bear and from the hands of the uncircumcised Philistine who delivered Jeremiah out of the low miery Dungeon and Daniel out of the Lyons Dâ—n who delivered the three Children out of the Fiery Furnace and Paul and Silaâ— out of the Prison-House he the Living God who changeth not whose hand is not shortned that it cannot save will at this day deliver his People out of all their Sufferings and free them of their Burdens Weights and grievous Oppressions in his own time Blessed are all they that durst not look out at time as some have done to their one hurt but wait pariently upon the Lord who can change Times and Seasons as he pleaseth who dwelleth in the Heavens and also ruleth over the Kingdoms of men and setteth up and throweth down as he pleaseth who seeth all the Works of the Sons of men and pondereth all their doings he is a God of Knowledg and by him actions are weighed he excelleth in Strength Power Wisdom and Mercy and his Throne is from everlasting and his Kingdom without end who is God over all blessed for evermore Let none get into a false security because of the present Calm the Lord can suffer a Storm and make a Calm again when he pleaseth let all Watch and Pray and Fear before the Lord and wait upon him to be fitted for-Tryals that so no Storm may come upon you before you are aware of it and before you be ready for it Dear Babes Read and Feel my Love in the Truth and therein let not your Love be wanting one to another but live in Love Unity and Peace and the God
A COLLECTION OF CERTAIN Epistles Testimonies Of Divine Consolation Experience and Doctrine Written by that Faithful Patient and Long-Suffering Servant of Christ William Bennit Who Finished his Testimony the 23d day of the 4th Month 1684. In the County Goal at Ipswich in Suffolk And I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the Dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their Labours and their Works do follow them LONDON Printed and Sold by Andrew Sowle at the Crooked-Billet in Holloway-Lane near Shoreditch 1685. THE CONTENTS TO my dear Father and Mother pag. 25. A Tender and Vnfeigned Salutation of Love and Good-Will to Professors Or a tender Invitation and Call unto all People in whose Hearts there hath been and still is some true desiring and breathing after the Lord God who hath long been hunting abroad amongst the many Forms and Liknesses and have been running from one broken Cistern to another and have been long spending their Money for that which is not Bread and their Labour for that which hath not rightly satisfied their Souls For them to retire inward unto that in their own Hearts which is the Authour of the desiring in them after God even the pure spiritual Light of Christ Jesus in their own Consciences which will lead and bring them that do it follow and obey unto the well-spring of Life the fountain of living Water where they may drink abundantly and be satisfied unto the fold of everlasting Rest unto the fresh pastures of Life where they may feed and lie down and enjoy true rest and satisfaction for their Souls pag. 33. For Friends of Truth in the Town of Yarmouth pag. 59. God only Exalted in his own Work or the Works of God Praiseth him in Sion Or a Song of Deliverance from a great and sore Captivity Thraldom and Bondage under the King of Egyptian Darkness the God of the World where the Soul was fast bound as with strong Chains and Fetters but now Ransomed by the out-stretched Arm of Gods Almighty Power and art come to Sion with Songs of everlasting Joy upon thy Head and hast obtained Joy and Gladness and thy Sighing and Mourning is fled away pag. 63. To Gods Lambs in Prison Greeting pag. 75. To Friends in the Love of Truth Greeting pag. 77. To Friends of Truth pag. 78. To Friends of Truth in Prison pag. 79. To the Suffering Lambs of the Lords Flock in Prison Greeting pag. 81. This to go among Friends of Truth to be read among them when assembled together in the pure fear and dread of the most high God pag. 84. To Friends pag. 90. To the Magistrates of Edmonds-Bury pag. 92. To Friends of Truth in the Town of Colchester Greeting pag. 100. Somâ— Prison Meditations of an humble Heart pag. 108. This to go among Friends to be read among them when assembled together in the pure Fear and Wisdom of God pag. 142. A Testimony to the true Light that lightens every man that comes into the World pag. 150. To Friends in Edmonds-Bury Goal pag. 157. To Friends Sufferers in Norwich-Castle pag. 158. To Friends Brethren and Sisters c. pag. 161. The Work and Mercy of God conducing to his Praise Or a Demonstration of the Visitation of Gods Love to my Soul in the days of my Youth Being a Testimony of the Light of Christ in the Conscience which discovereth and judgeth Sin also if loved and obeyed saveth from Sin and redeemeth the Soul unto God pag. 167. To those that are young in Years c. pag. 179. To all People that live and delight in Wickedness pag. 181. To those that are seeking the Living God in the Dead Forms pag. 191. To those that are backslided from the Truth pag. 194. To those that profess the Truth yet walk contrary thereto iâ— Life and Conversation pag. 197. To all those that are convinced of the Truth but still remain in the Worlds ways pag. 198. To those that are newly convinced of the Truth pag. 200. To the true Mourners in Sion pag. 203. A General Salâ—tation of Love to the Children of Light pag. 207. To Friends pag. 211. A Loving Exhortation and Warning to Sea-men and all others whom it doth concern pag. 214. Edmond Cross HIS TESTIMONY For his Deceased Friend William Bennit THis Testimony lives in my Heart and is upon me to bear for and concerning my dear and well beloved Friend William Bennit whom with many more worthy Ones God Almighty in his endless Love unto mankind raised up and endued with power from on high to preach the Everlasting Gospel of Life and Salvation in our Age and forever blessed be the Lord who hath caused his blessed Work to prosper by them to the gathering many Thousands to himself notwithstanding the great opposition they have meet with both from the Enemy of mankind within and the Exercises Hardships and cruel Persecutions from his Instruments without yet so powerfully did the Lord appear in them that the Inhabitants of the Earth was awakened and Trembling took hold of many Judgment was laid to the Liâ—e and Righteousness to the Plumit yea the sound of the Gospel by these worthy Messengers Preached went through the Earth and many of its Inhabitance thereby came to learn Righteousness amongst which worthy Messengers this my dear Friend William Bennit was one who laboured in the service of the Gospel for the gathering in the out-casts of Jacob and the disperced of Israel He was a man wholly given up both in Body and Mind to serve the Lord and what he did for God he did it with all his Might he spared no pains wherein he might serve the Truth which to do was his whole delight his care was great over the Church of Christ and whole Family of God and when in Bonds for the Gospel sake he visited them with divers good Epistleâ— full of heavenly Exhortations and Comfort to the great refreshment of God's Children oh the sence of the want of him doth often make me sad knowing how serviceable he was in the Church though I doubt not but the Lord can raise up some worthy Ones to succeed him in the Work and Service whereunto he was called oh the many sweet refreshments which I have had with him cannot be forgotten what shall I say for the want of him whose presence hath often times been very comfortable to me I believe years to come will know the want of him I had inward acquaintance with him above many and can testifie he was endued with many divine Attainments he had the true qualifications of an Elder and Minister of Christ and walked in Holiness Meekness and Godly Fear towards all men he never exalted himself above any but as a perfect example in Humility Self-Denial and Meekness he behaved himself towards the Meanest his Zeal for the Truth appeared to be very great for though he was a very weak man as to his bodily strength yet in
preaching the Gospel he was carried forth with such Fervency and Zeal for the Lord being by the mighty Power of God upheld that at such times there appeared no Infirmness of Body in him and notwithstanding the weakness of his Body he often Travelled in the service of the Gospel being freely given up to spend and to be spent for its sake his Ministry was plain prevalent vvhereof he had a very good Gift he vvas vvell acquainted vvith the holy Scriptures of Truth vvhich he made much use of for the opening the Understandings of People vvhich often proved very Effectual for the convincing of many And as he vvas an incessant Labourer in the Gospel vvhere-ever he came so also vvas he as Valiant in suffering for the same vvhen ever called thereunto as the many grievous Imprisonments vvhich he hath met vvith for the Gospel's sake doth vvitness for he hath for his Testimonies sake been cast into divers Goals as Yarmouth Bliborough Ipswich and Melton several times also at Edmonds-Bury vvhere he lay amongst the Fellons nigh eight years together lastly he vvas taken from a Meeting at Woodbridge and committed to Melton Prison vvhere he lay till the quarter Sessions held at Woodbridg unto vvhich he vvas brought and vvas by an order of Sessions removed from thence to Ipswich Prison being then in the Winter season though he vvas very vveak at that time and not fit to be carried forth the Weather being very cold and at that time it Snovved very much yet vvas he in the midst of all hurried avvay I vvas then vvith him and vvith grief of Heart beheld this cruel Treatment of this innocent Lamb vvho then said If it lay in his freedom to go or not although he might gain much as to the outward he could not go his weakness was such yet for the Truths sake he was freely given up though it proved the dissolution of his Body as indeed it so happened for he never got over it but grew weaker and weaker till upon the 23 d day of the 4th month 1684 in the Prison House in Ipswich the place of his Confinement he finished his Testimony and laid down his Head in perfect Peace thus vvas this good man Persecuted unto Death who freely forgave them that Persecuted him and oh saith my Soul if it may stand vvith the vvill of God that they may find Repentance before they go hence that his Blood may not be required at their hands Well he is now gone beyond the reach of all his Enemies he hath run the blessed Race he has fought the good Fight hath kept the Faith and is now Crowned with that Eternal weight of Glory which never endeth and though he be removed from us yet his Life remains with us and his Name is a sweet memorial unto us yea he shall be reckoned amongst the Generations of the Righteous and time shall never blot him out of their Remembrance who served the Lord withal his Heart and loved not his Life unto Death for his Name sake Oh the remembrance of this my dear Friend hath often times been a refreshment to me and the many sweet and precious oppertunities I have had with him are at this time fresh in my remembrance I cannot forget those heavenly bedewings and sweet streams of divine Life from the God of Life who is the Fountain of all our well-springs which often times ran through his Vessel as through a Conduit Pipe to the great refreshment of his Children Oh when I consider his service in the Church of Christ and how ready he was to help the Weak and encourage the Feeble yea to reach forth his helping hand unto all that none might be left behind and that now at such a time as this wherein Tryals and Exercises seem to abound upon us it should please the Lord to removed him from us my Spirit is bowed before the Lord in the consideration thereof for a tiâ—e my Soul was afflicted within me being deeply sensible of the great loss of him at this time of day But while I was Meditating in the consideration hereof my Soul was revived in the feeling of the Springs of Life to arise which sprang up in this wise God is the same that ever he was his Arm is not shortned that it cannot Save neither is his Ear heavy that it cannot hear the crys of his Children but his care is and will be over all those that put their trust in him and against such no Weapon howsoever formed shall Prosper and that he hath not removed his Servant from us thereby to weaken us but rather that we should wholly look unto him only from whom alone our Salvation comes who vvill certainly take care of all those who are faithful unto him in their Testimony for his Name and will supply such with whatsoever he sees is needful for them yea the same Power that kept and preserved this our dear Friend through all his Tryals and Exercises who hath now finished his Course with Joy will also preserve us as we are faithful thereunto in which the Lord keep and preserve all his People through all their Tryals and Exercises to the end is the breathing of my Soul OH thou my dear Friend who art now from us gone Vnto thine everlasting Rest in the Eternal one Who now for all thy Labours in which thou didst abound Rewarded art with endless Life and art with Glory Crown'd Oh worthy man of God thy Name for ever shall Recorded be amongst the Rightous Gen'rations all Thou lovedst not thy Life to Death but gave up all unto The service of God s Truth most pure and for it didst forgâ— The World and all things else that unto thee was near That thou mightst be for evermore with thy Redeemer dear And though thy Body is gone and Flesh consumed be Thy Spirit with thy God doth live to all Eternitie Where from thine Eyes all Tears are wip'd and Joy for eâ—e is found And Cloth'd now art with Garments pure and Pleasures doth abound And from thine Enemies reach which did thee sore annâ—y Who for the sake of Truth they sought thy Body to destroy Thou now exalted art over all Mortallity Where neither ravenous Beast nor yet the voulterus Eye 〈◊〉 ever thee molest no nor disquiet thy peace Which as a River great doth flow and never more shall cease Ah thou Valiant one indeed who never turn'd aside But to thy God wert faithful found when ever thou wert tride Great is our went of thee for which my Soul doth cry â—nto the Lord our God who only can supply Oh righteous God make up our loss to thee I only pray That thou wouldst please to raise up Children to him this day And fill them with thy Grace and therein make them shine Forth in thy most glorious Power both heavenly and divine That so thy holy Truth for which he did engage May over all exalted be now in this latter age And though our loss
of him be great who still do here abide Yet in our God we are compleat while we in Truth reside In which the living God preserve and from the World defend All those that put their trust in him and keep them to the end That in the closurâ— of our Daâ—s our Heads in peace may ly And fill d our Mouths may be with Pray'rs unto the Lord on hy Who over all is worth and only prais'd be he That never â—axeth old nor ever Changed can be Walton the 30th of the 8th Month 1684 Edmond Cross Six Verses writ by another Hand WAs ever Dust more Dignified while t' was a House of Clay For heavenly Life did there abide its Vertue to display An Humble Meek and Harmless Soul within this Dust did dwell Which all the Glory of this World abundance did excell This Dust on Earth it had a Name whilst it on Earth did move But that same Life which mov'd the same theirs few do know or Love The Dust is left the Soul is gone in Life for ay to dwell From sight of every mortal one in Glory to excell Thy Dust within the Earth do ly my Dust shall ly by thine Our Souls in Life shall dwell on high our Fellowship divine And though by Death we leave our Dust our Souls remain forever And from the Spirits of the Just no worldly Power can sever William Peart HIS TESTIMONY CONCERNING William Bennit Reader MAny has been the faithful Witnesses which God hath raised in his day blessed be his holy Name that hath been truly honoured with his Power and living Presence in which they have gone forth in his Work and Service in order to the gathering in of his numberless Number which he is a gathering from the ends of the Earth to Inhabit in his new Jerusalem that heavenly City come down from God the City of the Saints Solemnity where the living Praises are continually Sung to the God of Zion the King of Saints to whom be ascribed all Honour and living Praises as is due saith my Soul forever Amen Now Friends many of these Embassadors and Agents for the King of Heaven it hath pleased his heavenly Majesty to end their Commission by calling them home to that place of rest prepared for the Faithful where the oppression of the Oppressor ceaseth and not so much as his voice heard himself being forever shut out the Memorial of them is blessed their Names will be honorable in Ages yet to come and the Children yet unborn will bless the Lord on their behalfs much might be writ in a general way as to those worthy Witnesses before mentioned but that which is before and chiefly at this time upon me is to leave a Testimony to Prosterity that lives in my Heart concerning that faithful Servant of God and of his People and worthy Minister of Christ Jesus dear William Bennit a man indeed of a meek Moses like Spirit in whom the Lord had in a large measure fulfilled his Promise viz. to make a man more pure then fine Gold yea then the golden Wedg of Oâ—â—er for indeed the Lord had tryed him in the Furnice of Affliction and had in a large measure purified him from the Oare or earthly mixture and made him a chosen Vessel fit for his own use for saith Solomon When the Silver is refined from the Drâ—ss there is a Vessel for the Refiner as this good man was a Vessel of honour fitted for that use whereunto the Lord had called him which was to bear a living Testimony for his Name in which he was found very faithful not in Word and Doctrine only but iâ— Life and Conversation also in which he shined as a Light upon a Candlestick which gives a Light to all which be in the Room so was the godly Life of this ever blessedman of which I am Treating it gave a Light easie to be discerned by all who are of the Family Houshold of Faith nay his and Truth 's Enemies see it and were made oft-times to confess it and say that he was a man of an Honest Godly Upright Life such a Luster Brightness did it cast that Truth was greatly honored by it not only in the Town of Woodbridg where he dwelt but where ever he came or was known his Life preached Truth his Carriage was Innocent his Words were very Savoury savouring of what his Heart and inward parts was filled with which ministered Grace to his Hearers And as to that Testimony that God had given him to bear for his Name in Word and Doctrine he was very faithful in it and was oft-times drawn in the Love of God to travel upon the account of it in great Weakness and Infirmness of Body which for the most part possessed him but great was the Strength and Vigor of his inward man which oft-times as it were swallowed up the weakness of the outward man I have often seen him go into a Meeting when it was thought he had more need have been in Bed such many times was his Weakness and Illness but strong was that Love in which he was drawn forth to serve the Lord his God which oft-times in the Assemblies of God's People flowed from him as sweet streams from a pleasant Fountain to the great refreshment of the right Seed and nourishment of the true Birth in the sence of which his Heart was often filled with that strength of Life and heavenly Courage that he would appear like a Gyant greatly refresht with new VVine ready to run a Race where there was no appearance of the bodily weakness as before but when his Testimony hath been ended and Service for that time over he hath been like onâ— ready to give up the Ghost his before-mentioned weakness again repossessing his earthly House of Clay by which I have often observed how in a wonderful manner as to the outward man the mighty Power of God attended the blessed Testimony and acceptable Service of this Servant of Christ he was a worthy and honorable Instrument in the hand of the Lord and many were turned to the Lord by him for the Lord of the Vinyard imployed him therein both to Plant and VVater he being very well accomplished and fitted for both being thereunto educated by the Power of God in the School of Christ He delightd much in breaking up of untill'd Ground often having Meetings where there was never any by Friends before and the Lord very much blessed and prospered his Labour in that very respect in adding to his Church thereby He was indeed the Father of many Children who were begotten by him into the Faith of the Lord Jesus Christ God had given him a ready Utterance his Tongue was as the Pen of a ready Writer often minding Friends of the day wherein they first received the Truth to remember their first Love that though they had known much experienced much had witnessed a large encrease in the Riches of God's Kingdom yet to
this suffering time among his Friends Brethren at home because it was reported he should be sent to Edmonds-Bury Goal and in the aforesaid Prison at Melton he was kept very close and the next Sessions at Woodbridg he was brought into the Court where an Indictment was preferr'd against him for being Riotously and Routously assembled with many others c. to which after many sound Reasons and Arguments to prove our Meetings Innocent without any other design but purely to Wait upon and Worship the Lord as good experience hath shewn and therefore no way Hurtful or Dangerous to the Government c. he pleaded not Guilty it was demanded whether or no he would give Bail for his appearance the next quarter Sessions to be of the good Behaviour which he refused to do knowing he had not Mis-behaved himself so he was again returned to Prison and kept very close and when the next Sessions came about at Woodbridg he was again brought into the Court where Christopher Melton of Ipswich was Chairman as at the Sessions before where he with some other Friends was put on to Tryal and after a great deal of arguing between the Prisoners and the Court the Jury went out and after a considerable time returned and being asked whether the Prisoners were Guilty or not Guilty the Foreman answered not Guilty at which the Chairman was highly displeased and perswaded them at the Bar to alter their Verdict that they were guilty of an unlawful Assembly a practice how just I shall leave to the Judgment of the Impartial Reader and as if this were not useage hard enough they devised another piece of Cruelty which was to remove him to Ipswich to be fined and in a very cold day in the sharpest of this last Winter which for excess of Cold the like cannot be remembered when it was late in the latter part of the Day Snowing very fast all the way he went so that before he got to the Prison it was late in the Evening and being many of us there for want of Beds and for want of timely notice to have made Provision among others of us this tender man was forced to set up all Night in that wet and cold Condition and then he was called upon at that Sessions in Ispwich and fined twenty Pound at which he was no ways dismayed and so he was returned to Prison till he should pay his Fine where he meet with hard usage from the Jayler he not answering his unreasonable demands remained close Prisoner until the next Sessions at Ipswich where he was again called into the Court and nothing of the Fine spoken of but Thomas Covel Clark of the Peace told him they had a particular order from the King to deal with him then he was profferred the Oath of Allegance which he refusing he was again returned to Prison after which in some short time it pleased the Lord to visit him with more then ordinary Sickness which more and more encreased upon him in which time he desired to see several of his dear Friends as he said before he dyed thereby signifying his departure to be at hand and so upon the twenty third day of the fourth Month 1684 about three in the Morning like an innocent man he laid down his Head in peace with God dyed a faithful Sufferer for Christ Jesus in a Testimony against the Persecutors of our Age and my desire is that his innocent Blood may not be laid to the charge of them that had a hand in his last Suffering in which he sealed his Testimony with his Life And there is one thing yet with me concerning my deceased Friend which is worthy of Observation that is when even Persecution was stirred up among us if he had happened to have been from home upon the publick service of Truth when once he heard of it he was not satisfied until he got home to get his Shoulder to the Work such was his care and respect to his Testimony at home in a time of Suffering the which makes our loss and want of him to be very great especially at such a time as this when suffering for the Truth abounds in which he was a good Pattern and indeed time will discover the want of him more then at present it is by some perceived the Lord make up and restore our loss according to his own good will and pleasure though his bodily Presence be removed from us yet his Life is felt to remain blessed be the Name of the Lord. As at the very hour of his departure his dear Wife with several other Friends sitting by the Corps the Life newly departed very sorrowful for their great loss though his great gain I say as they thus sate in retirednâ—ss of Mind the Love Life of God broke in upon them in an abundant manner to their great Refreshment and Satisfaction which signified thus much that though he had taken away his Servant from them yet his Life should remain and it will remain with them that walk worthy of it for it is a never failing Treasure And thus Friends I have given you a brief account of the Life Sufferings and End of this Messenger of Christ who hath delivered his Message and done the Work of God in his Day and Friends that which remains to us is thaâ— we may be found in our Day working the Work of God in answering the Requirings of God that so we may come to finish our Course with Joy and lay down our Heads in Peace as this Servant of God did which is the desire of your Friend Woodbridge the 24th of the 5th Month 1684. William Peart A COLLECTION OF Certain Epistles OF Divine Consolation c. Dear Father and Mother MY Indeared Love abounds towards you and in that which hath brought me into true obedience to God and Man do I salute you and am present with you as you come to be gathered thereunto even into the spirit of holiness in which is the unity of the Faithful into which Spirit wait to feel your growth and your obedience therein more and more which growth standeth not in Words but in Life and in Power and wait to feel your increase therein and decrease in Words which are out of the Power of God many have grown rich in Words and accounted that their growth without the Life and have feed upon the Knowledge more then upon Life and unto such the Famine is to come therefore dear Hearts yea exceeding dear to me oh keep to the measure of God in your own Particulars and be obedient to its operation that you may come to witness your translation into the â—â—rth Imâ—ortal which transâ—ation standeth not in Words but in Life and Power therefore feel the operation of the Power of God â—â— work out and mortifie that which is reproveable by it oh obedience to the operation thereof is required by it of the Creature for as it is to work upon the Soul so
it worketh not without the Soul 's yeilâ—ing obedience thereunto so far as to work its translation yet not the Soul's work but the work of God in and upon the Soul for though Christ is come a Light into the World and is the Salvation of God yet they that believe not in him he is their Condemnation and yet sufficient Salvation to them who believe in him and obey him for as the Light manifesteth Evil yet if the Creature yeild not obedience thereunto he cannot have â—ower over the Evil but if he yeild obedience to the Light it gives him power over Evil yet not the Creatures Power but the Power of God which begetteth thâ— Will and â—h◠〈◊〉 also therefore perfect obedience to the Light the Lord requireth of every one and daily to Watch and Wrestle â—gainst that which is condemnable by the Light for so long as the Creature knowingly lives in that whether in Words â—â— Deedâ— that it seeth to be reprovable by the Light it cannot injoy perfect peace with God for the peace of God is enjoyed iâ— the Light and truely if that Condemn surely the Lord doth not Justifie though many believe they are Justified in the sight of God through Christ although the Witness of God leâ—s them see that they are yet in their Sins and condemns them for Sin and this Faith or rather Unbelief which leads them to believe that they nor none else can be made free from all Sin on this side the Grave and yet they imagin that they are free from it in the sight of God but beware of that Faith for it is accursed and is not the true Faith which is the gift of God which through Christ saveth from all Sin for that Faith admits of Sin but the Faith of Gods Elect sets free from all Sin for where the Wicked one hath seated this Faith or Perswasion in the Heart it is hard indeed for such a one to come to Live in the Life of Truth which is holy for as the Light doth let the Soul see it is in its Sins and brings Trouble and Condemnation upon the Mind for Sin and begets a desire also in the Heart to be freed from Sin for it feels it lie as a weighty load upon its Conscience behold even then the Wicked one who hath begot this perswasion in the Creature that it cannot be freed from all Sin here though freed from Sin in the sight of God and this perswasion causes the Creature to do dispite to the Spirit of Grace and strive to quench its Reproofs and so get at ease in that cursed Faith and in that wrong Believe and sit down short of the Peace of God so that which begot desires in the Creature to be freed from Sin comes to be vailed and slain and many Thousands are in this State who are large Boasters who are boasting that they are Justified by Christ and that Christ hath done all for them and if they can believe it that is sufficient and yet still in their Sins Now the Apostle Paul saith If while we seek to be Justiâ—â—ed by Christ we our selves be found Sinners Is Christ therefore the Minister of Sin God forbid and he saith Shall we continue in Sin that Grace may abound God forbid for how can we who are Dead to Sin Live any longer therein and he said They who are Justified by Faith through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus which Redemption is a redeeming out of Sin and their Faith gave them power over the World and did not admit of Sin as the Professors Faith doth who believe they can never be free from all Sin in this Life Oh in tender Love I beseech you to beware of that Delution and Perswasion of the Wicked one for it is very dangerous and a broad way which the Creature is prone to run into now there is a great difference betwixt such who with the Light seeth much Sin which they are addicted unto yet to be subdued and it is their sore Burden and they in the strength of the Light wrestle against it and so feel it daily decrease and that Faith begoâ— by which they see and believe that they shall be made Conquerors over all as they abide faithful to the Light which lets them see Sin I say there is a great difference betwixt such as are there in that State travelling out of Sin out of Egypt where the Bondage is towards Sion where the Freedom is and such as are sate down satisfied in a false Confidence and in a wrong Belief continuing in their Sins and believe they shall not be free from it here but you know otherwise therefore in the Life of what you know abide for truly it is the Life that must make alive and keep alive to God which Life is the Light of men the true Light which lighteth every one thaâ— cometh into the World and is the Salvation of God and therein wait and feel your Minds exercised in its operation for this changeth the Mind the Thoughts the Affections and Desires for as they have been Earthly so they become Heavenly and it becomes the Souls delight to answer the end of the Lord and to endeavour to walk worthy of his Love and it becomes its Life to do the Will of God and to follow the Leadings of his Spirit which leadeth out of Evil but before this be witnessed the strait and narrow Way must be known felt and lived in and there must be a passing through the Fire through the Water through the one Baptizing which baptiseth into Death and so translateth into Life in which Life it will become your Life to do the Will of God Oh dear Father and Mother keep I beseech you to the Gift of God in your own particulars and be obedient to its Leadings and therein watch diligently continually and with it try your Thoughts and Words and Intents before you bring them forth and if they be reprovable give theâ— up to the Light the Fire to be consumed dear Hearts it is in unexpressible Love that I write thus unto you and be very wary of spaking things by contraries which you are addicted to for there is no Lye of the Truth and he that abideth in the Truth is preserved out of the Lye he that loveth the Light bringeth his Deeds to the Light to try them whether they be wrought in God so be not forward to utter Words but feel the Light of Christ to guide and lead you and bring your Thoughts and Words to it to try them whether you may speak them yea or nay now if they be reprovable by the Light then they are to dye and not be brought forth for if they be this grieveth the Righteous Spirit of God and breaks your Peace with the Lord for if his Witness Condemn he doth not Justifie so the Creature keeping low in the pure Fear and Dread of the Lord it dare not do that whether in Thought Word or Deed which it
seeth to be Vain and Evil if it could gain the whole World by it but truly the Professors are out of this Condition though they can talk of the Fear of the Lord and scarce one of a 〈…〉 is come â—here into that state but this is a hard 〈…〉 is able to bear it yet it is a true saying though 〈…〉 believe it oh the largest Talkers and Declarers and Knowers even of the highest sort are farthest from the Life of Truth which is holy for truly such are settled on their Lees and have been building long and very high and have gathered much Riches and it is hard for these to loose all and their Building to fall and not one Stone to be left upon another but all to be thrown down oh the Lord God of Compassion is a gathering many tender Hearts from amongst them who hunger and breath after him and is not satisfied with the Husks the Shadows and Dead Forms in which they dwell and poor Hearts they have been long running from Mountain to Hill and have sought after the Lord even fervently Day after Day Year after Year and could not find him whom their Souls longed for but now such is the Lord a gathering into his Fold where they shall enjoy their Shepherd and their Souls shall not want So once more do I in tender Love direct you to the Gift of God in your own particulars and therein wait upon the Lord for Power from the Lord over that which is contrary to the Lord and condemnable by his Light in your own Hearts and keep in the fewness of Words for too many Words becometh not those who professeth Godliness but let your Words be few and let them savour of the Grace of God which leadeth into a Meek Sober Modest Chast Lifâ— that so your upright sober Conversation may preach Righteousness even to the convincing of them who have been as Teachers over you whom ye will come to see as you keep to the measure of God and know them to be a People whose Minds are at Liberty and are at case in the Flesh and know not a Stay to their Minds a Stop to their Thoughts a Bridle to their Tongues which if they be not come to know feel and abide therein let their Knowledge never so large their Declarations never so high their Words never so deep yea and true also yet I say and my saying is true though hard to many to bear that if such come not and keep not to that which is to be a Stay to the Mind a Stop to their Thoughts a Brible to their Tongues a Lanthorn to their Fâ—â—â— a Light â—o their Steps their Knowledge their Declarations their Works and their Suffering it is all in vain and a Babe of the Heavenly Birth sees and comprehends them and their large Coverings are to narrow to hide them from their Eye Well into the hand of the Lord do I commit you for to come to be gathered into and preserved in the pure Fear of God Watchful and Diligent in the Light and to War and Wrestle in the strength of it against that which you see is to be Mortified so be willing to pass through the strait Gate into the narrow Way to walk which few findeth and are made willing to walk therein But the First shall be Last and the Last First for many are Called and but few Chosen And dear Ones one thing more I have to say unto you beware and take heed of Condemning one another for doing that Evil which you see your selves are addicted unto but first see it Subdued and Mortified in your selves whether it be in Word or Action before you Condemn others for it though they be Prophane People and when you spake a Word of Reproof to any beware of doing it in a light Frothy way as many do even in the light Airy Spirit which bringeth forth the same things in themselves but let it be done in the Sober Solled Seasoned Savoury Holy Spirit of the Lord God that it may reach to the VVitness of God in them unto whom you speak and then is it profitable so the Lord God Almighty Infinite and VVise preserve me and you and all his little Ones in his holy Awe and Dread and therein to pass the time of our Pilgrimagâ— here in Fear and Trembling Farwell From your Son who is come into the Heirship of Eternity William Bennit Bliborough Goal the 5th Month 1661. A tender and unfained Salutation of Love and Good-will to Professors c. THe Lord God Almighty hath and is a looking down upon the Sons and Daughters of Men and hath and doth behold many of them even as poor scattered Sheep without a Shepherd wandering as in the Desarts and waste howling Wilderness wandering as upon the barren Mountains and dry Heaths hungry and thirsty their souls unsatisfied seeking diligently for food upon the barren Mountains running from Mountain to Mountain and from Hill to Hill and cannot find that Food that will truly satisfy their hungry Souls and running from one broken Cistern to another and cannot find one drop of water that will truly refresh their thirsty Souls who are seeking the living God amongst the dead Forms and seeking Meat among the Shells and the Substance among the Shadows and cannot find that which they seek after nor enjoy him whom their Souls longeth for seeking rest and can find no true Rest desiring to know where the Lord God the good Shepherd of Israel feeds his Sheep and Lambs and where they lie down in quietness and rest free from the fear of Evil. And this the Lord God of pity hath seen and in his Infinite tender bowels hath been and now is moved with yearnings of pity and compassion towards them and for his own Seeds sake he hath and is in Mercy to them Ezek. 34. 11 c stretching forth the Hand of his loving kindness unto them to gather in one the scattered to gather together in one the dispersed to bring home the wanderer and the prodigal that hath long fed upon the husks among the Swine to the Fathers house of plenty where there is bread enough and water faileth not Yea the Lord God Almighty of Heaven and Earth hath and is lifting up an Ensign for the Nations and hath and will assemble the out-casts of Jacob and the dispersed Judah from the four corners of the Earth and hath and will return the Captivity of his People and then Jacob shall be glad and Israel shall rejoyce in him the steam of Psal 14. 7. Jesse which doth and shall stand for an Ensign for the people and unto him doth and shall the Gentiles seek and his rest is and shall be sweet and glorious to the poor for whom he will Judge in Righteousness and Reprove with Equity for the meek of the Earth who will smite the Earth with the Rod of his Mouth and with the breath of his Lips will he slay the Wicked and Rule the Nations
to Publicans and Sinners he through Beelzebub the Prince of Devils doth cast out Devils c And truly I may say not out of a prejudiced mind of Enmity towards any for my Soul bears love and good-will towards all men that it is as it were the same now with many of the Professors in this age who as the Jews made a large boast and profession of Moses the Law and the Prophets and hated him the life of them doth make a large boast of Christ in words and of his dying at Jerusalem which I believe he did according as the Scripture testifie and that he hath done all for them and if they can but believe it that is enough c. And yet whilest they are thus professing him in words behold many of them are enemies to his Life and so enemies to him whom they boast of who is the Word that was in the beginning in whom was life and his life is the light of men The true light saith John that lighteth every man that cometh John 1 9. into the world vvhich the Professors say is a natural light that vvhich convinceth vvicked men of sin in their ovvn hearts and judgeth them for evil doing it is a natural light say the Professors and so call the life of the Word vvhich is the light of men natural it 's a natural conscience say some it 's an insufficient light it 's a common grace c. so common it is indeed that as Paul says it hath appeared unto Titus 2 11. all men even that grace that brings Salvation nay some blasphemously vvill presume to say it 's a spirit of delusion a spirit of errour and these are under the vvo vvho call the Truth errour and the Light Isa 5. 20 23 36. darkness and the Good evil and these one day shall knovv their blasphemy and their vvords shall become their burden and these are in great darkness and ignorance indeed thick darkness fills their habitation even the darkness of Egypt that may be felt and it is hard indeed for such to be brought into the pure light and unchangable Truth of God although vvith the Lord God Almighty nothing is impossible and these like the Scribes and Pharisees vvho although they professed God in vvords and said Mat. 23. 13. they had one Father even God sought to shut up the Kingdom of Heaven from men and vvould neither enter in themselves nor suffer them that vvould and so these vvhile they profess Christ in vvords they speak evil of his Light and Truth and vvill neither ovvn it themselves nor suffer as much as in them lie them that vvould but cryes out take heed bevvare of the light the Quakers prate of it is darkness say they it vvill deceive you and delude you and lead you into Errour c. But let all people knovv the light vvhich the people of God called Quakers speak of and in bovvels of love direct peoples minds unto is the life of the Word vvhich is Immortal Eternal Permanent Divine and Immutable and not Natural Joh. 1 2 3 9. Thou vvhoever thou art and vvhatever by men thou art accounted of that doth make a large profession of God Christ and the Scriptures of Truth in vvords and doth hate and speak evil of the Light the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world thou art a hater of God and of Christ and art of Antichrist against Christ although thou professest him in words and sayst thou art saved by him and justified by him c. yet if thou hatest his light in thy own Conscience which doth check thee for evil doing and prick thee for thy sins in secret thou art in enmity to him and condemned by the Light and not justified and thy confession of Christ in words will not save thee from his Righteous Condemnation vvhilst thou hatest his pure light in thy Conscience and thy profession is for the fire and unto the Light thou must come before thou canst find true peace with the Lord God Yea whatever thou art who art climed and a climing up in thy Imaginations and a soaring up aloft with the god of the world the Prince of the power of the Air above the Light the Door into the fold striving to enter into the fold and not by the Door to wit the Light thou art the Thief John 10. 1 8 9. and Robber who runs before Christ the Light the Door into the Fold and thou must come down come down to that which appears a small thing in thy eye who art swell'd big in thy fleshly wisdom from which the things of Gods Kingdom is hid even to that which thou counts a foolish thing a weak a poor thing 1 Cor. 1. 27 28 29 30 31. and 19. 20 21. not worth the minding or heeding but this is it the foolish thing in thy eye that is to confound thy wisdom and turn it into foolishness that so thou beecoming a fool may be made wise in it This is the weak thing in thy eye which is to confound thy strength and make thee weak that thou mayst be strong in it and the poor thing in thy eye which is to rob thee of all thy Riches that thou becoming poor in it may be made Rich so where is the Wise the Rabbi the Scribe the Disputer of this world Hath not God made foolish the Wisdom of this world for the world by wisdom knows not God and so the boaster is excluded that God may have the Glory and all flesh abased and silent before him who of God is made unto his Saints that love his Light and are led by his Spirit Wisdom Strength Power Righteousness Justification and Redemption who have the heavenly Treasure in the Earthen vessel that the glory may be of God who is worthy of all Glory and Praise for ever So heed not dear people you who have any desire in you after the Lord what this man or the other saith of the Light but love the Light and take heed unto it for that which judges and condems sin in you which John 3. 20 is that which seperates you from the Lord and hinders your peace with the Lord and is the cause of your burden and sorrow this you shall not need to fear will delude you That is a spirit of delusion that leads into sin and evil beware of that but that which reproves you for evil in your own hearts and manifests the deeds of darkness take heed unto it for that is the Light that doth make manifest Eph. 5. 13 14. darkness that which is reprovable is made manifest by the Light for whatever makes manifest is Light and that will not onely make manifest the sin and evil but as you come to turn your minds in unto it and love and follow it it will save you from your sins and redeem your minds and souls unto God for who receive his Light his pure Grace in
them they receive power through it to become the Sons of God for through his Grace doth he manifest his power in them that believe in the Light to the drawing of their hearts and minds out of the ungodliness and worldly lusts and to the teaching of them to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world and thus the free Grace of God bringeth Salvation to their Souls And so dear people thus you who come to believe in the Light to love and obey the Light in your own Consciences will come to feel and witness the work of the Lord God in your hearts the working and opperation of the Word of Life to the casting out of the Bond-woman and her Son which is not to inherit to the binding of the strong man and casting of him out yea the Old man with his deeds is to be put off and you renewed in the spirit of your minds and the new Man is to Eph. 4. 20 21 22 23. be put on who after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness to put him on and to bring him forth before all men the only begotten Son of God who is full of Grace and Truth Mercy and Love Pity and Compassion Purity and Holiness and Good-will towards all who loveth Enemies and doth good to them that hate him c. So coming to the Light Christ Jesus you come to the Substance to him in whom the Figures Types and Shaddows end in and so come to witness him in you who fulfils all Righteousness he who is the end of the Law for â—ighteousness sake unto them that believe in him and to be Circumcised in him with the Circumcision Col. 2. 11 12. made without hands by the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the Circumcision of Christ which the outward Circumcision was a figure of and to witness the Baptism of Christ which is with the Holy Ghost and fire which John's Baptism with water outward was a true figure of and he bore Testimony unto Christ the Light of the world who said I must decrease but he must increase I indeed baptise you with water but he Christ Jesus who was before me shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire whose fan is in his hand and he shall throughly purge his floor the Wheat he shall gather into his Garner but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire So the outward water was but a type the outward washing a type of the inward washing and inward cleansing and inward purging and purifying by the Water of Life or the Blood of Jesus that cleanseth from all sin which is felt thus to work in them who believe in the Light and walk in the Light and they come to know that begotten in them that feeds upon the flesh of Christ which is the living Bread upon which the living Soul seeds and is the Substance which the Bread and Wine outward did figure out which the Manna that God gave the Israel of old in the Wilderness was a pure type of the heavenly Manna the living Bread vvhich the birth that is born of God feeds upon and lives thereby and grows up into Eternal life The day of gathering is come wherein the Lord God of everlasting bowels of Compassion is a gathering the despersed and seeking that which was lost and bringing back that which was driven away and healing that Ezek. 34. 12 13 14 9 16. which was sick and binding up that which was broken but the strong and the fat he is feeding with Judgment The Lord is a gathering people out of the Forms Shels and Shadows wherein many have long stuck and is bringing of them to the Substance and life it self out of the many Sects and heaps and divers ways into the one pure path into the one way of Life Light Peace Truth and Righteousness who by the one Spirit hath and is baptising them who believe in the Light 1 Cor. 12. 13 into the one body wherein the unity the oneness and the fellowship is witnessed blessed be his Name The way of the Lord is pure and Righteous and unchangable I am the Way the Truth and the Life saith Christ John 14. 6. Rom. 10. 8 John 12. 46. 8. 12. the immortal Word which saith Paul is nigh in the heart to be obeyed and done This is he the Light the Salvation of God the true Light that lighteth every man that commeth into the world who saith None can come unto the Father but by me I am come a Light into the world saith Christ that whosoever believe in me shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of life Therefore dear people love the Light and believe in the Light while ye have the Light that so you may become children of the Light and become heirs of an Inheritance incorruptible that will never fade away There is no obtaining the Crown but through the Cross and this you will come to know who come to love the Light and to be taught of him and to learn of him who is meek and low in heart Mat 11. 29 and 6. 13. and 10. 38. and to follow him in the strait and narrow way that leads to life which few there be that find it and walk therein He that will be my Disciple saith Christ must deny himself and take up his dayly Cross and follow me This you will come to feel and witness if you be followers of the Light a dayly denying of self you will know a denying of your own wills your own desires your own thoughts your own affections your own words and works your own wisdom and righteousness and a daily taking up the Cross an hourly living in the Cross through which you must come to be crucified to the World its Vanity its Pomp Pastime and Pleasures Sins and Iniquities vain Words Psal 6. 14 Works Fashions Customs Inventions and Traditions so coming to be crucified with Christ unto the world and to be Baptised into death with him unto sin you will come to live with him unto God in the life of Righteousness in whom then you will find that Rest Satisfaction Joy Comfort and Peace which no man can give unto you So dear people who are seeking and desiring after the Lord God to find peace and comfort to your souls this I leave with you flee not from that which doth judg you in your own hearts for sin and evil and bring trouble upon you and sorrow upon you and woundeth and pierceth you in secret because of Transgression I say love that flee not from it for oh dear people how many is there that when they have been judged by Gods pure light in their hearts for their sins when trouble and sorrovv and distress hath seized on them because of their sins vvhich Gods Witness hath set in order before their eyes then have they run unto vain helps and run unto man for
the true indearedness of the indeared love of the pure seed of life eternal doth my soul dearly salute you and imbrace you in the bosom of innocency in the which â—he Lord in measure hath wrapped up my soul with â—our souls dear Lambs and with the rest of his faithful Babes as in a mantle wherein we are together although absent from each other and herein I rest and repose with you who am your reall Friend and tender Brother in the heavenly relation which abides for ever William Bennit The 3 d moneth 1664. Dear Babes dwell together in love even in the pure innocent love of God which thinketh no evil and therein bear with and forbear and forgive one another even in that which keeps in the lowly fear and preserves in the true humility wherein none shall strive except to be the most humblest and meekest in mind and herein is the unity of the faith and the bond of peace known and kept which is exceeding comly amongst Brethren To Friends of Truth MY dear Friends in the pure tender bowels of the endless â—ternal fountain of love doth my soul dear Lambs dearly and tendorly salute you all most indearedly and fervâ—ntly desiring that you may stand fast in the pure precious everlasting truth of the Lord God in it so to live walk and abide as that you all keep your Garments clean and unspoted of the world as pure wise Virgins indeed who follow the Lamb whither-soever he goes Dear Babes hold fast your confidence in God and let yout hope in him be stedfast and constant and in that Faith stedfastly abide which hath been and is and will yet be your victory for ever and crown of tryumph eternally if in it you abide to the end Well dear Lambs I commend you unto the Lord God of everlasting strength and power by him to be upheld and supported and carried through whatsoever tryals and sufferings you do or may meet withall either outwardly or inwardly and by his power to be preserved sincere upright and faithful to him in your measures unto the end of your pilgrimage here that so a noble faithful clear Testimony you may bear for the Lord in this his day to the praise of his glorious name which is blessed for evermore So the sweet precious refreshing consolating inlivening strengthning quickning pure presence of the Lord God of Light of Life Love and Wisdom be with you in you and among you all even to the daily glading of your hearts and refreshing of your souls and to the girding up of your loines with courage patience strength and boldness in the God of your hope to stand unto the end Amen saith my soul So dear Babes feel my love in the innocent life of God and therein dwell together and I am with you and therein I rest and remain your dear Friend and tender Brother The 6th month 1664. William Bennit To Friends of Truth in Prison Dear Friends AH ye dear suffering Lambs who are in outward bonds for the Lord his Truth and Name-sake shut up and separated from your dear Friends and neerest Relations because of your keeping your Consciences void of offence towards the Lord God dear Hearts your cause is good for which you suffer and the Lord God who is ingaged for you whom you love and do manifest it unto the world through your willingness to suffer for him rather then to do that which you know is contrary unto his will or forbear doing of that which he willeth you to do well he will stand by you and will not leave you in the time of your need of his helping upholding power as you abide Faithful unto him in whose just cause you are ingaged and he will fully plead it with his and your Adversaries in his own time to your joy and their torment except they repent Dear Lambs my heart is even made glad and my soul it doth rejoyce because of your Faithfulness to the Lord in bearing your Testimony for his Name Ah the Lord God Almighty keep you faithful unto the end that so you may not faint nor grow weary before your Testimony for the Lord be finished that so you may not fall short of the Crown which is laid up for you if ye abide to the end even a full recompence of reward for all your sufferings and afflictions you do or may meet with for your faithfulness unto him the living God in whose pure bowels of most indeared intire unfained love doth my soul very dearly salute you dear hearts unto whom I commend you whose pure quickning holy heavenly presence I desire may be abundantly with you daily for the keeping of you all in pure patience and contentedness and in a true submission to his heavenly will that his joy comfort and consolation and sweet peace may abound in and unto your souls to the bearing of you up above all tryals that you do meet withall that you may not sink under them and that over the temptations of your Adversaries within and without you may Reign and be made more then Conquerers through the Lord who hath loved you and counted you worthy to believe in his Name and Truth and to suffer for the same Oh the Lord my God even your dear and tender God keep you low in his holy fear and very watchful and diligent in his pure Light having your minds exercised therein and girded thereby unto the Lord that so indeed dear Hearts you may learn much by these your tryals and sufferings even to your comfort and joy in God feeling indeed that the Lord doth cause these your sufferings to work together for your good that so you indeed dear Lambs may find cause thereby the more to praise and glorifie the name of the Lord and to make mention of his goodness and mercies and to magnifie his name in the land of the living unto whom be glory and praise for ever and evermore Dear Lambs receive these few lines as a token of the true love of my soul to you in the Lord in whom my love is right dear unto all his faithful ones Farewell dear Friends in the Lord in whose innocent life I am your Friend and Companion in the patience and long suffering of the Lamb. Norwich Castle the 7th month 1664. William Bennit To the sâ—ffering Lambs of the Lords Flock in Prison Greeting DEar suffering tribulated Lambs of my Maker ah dearly beloved Friends the tender unfeigned salutation of my soul reacheth unto you in the unchangable Love of the unchangable Truth of the living unchangable God whereof he hath made us pertakers and of which he hath made us witnesses and for which he hath through his love his constraining overcoming powerful Love made us willing to suffer and to part with and be separated from our deaâ—â—st Fâ—â—ends and nearâ—st Relations and to be willing to indure and â—o pass through what ever sufferings the Lord our God shall permit to be infflicted upon us rather then for any
Glory and Renown of his eternal powerful Name and to your endless Joy and everlasting Peace in him your tender God in whose pure tender unseigned Love doth my soul kiss you imbrace you clasp you about saying in spirit Oh the Lord the mighty God gird up your Loins with Courage Strength and Valour daily and spead over you all the mantle of Faithfulness keep you all in the pure patience and sweet contentedness and in true submission to his holy heavenly will which is your Sanctification whose will may be done in you all that indeed the Power the Glory the Kingdom and Dominion may be his and he alone may Reign in you whose right of due it is who was Dead and is a Live and lives forever and evermore unto whom be glory in the highest for evermore Amen Oh the holy living presence of the Living God of Holiness be in with and among you all in whose Love Life and Truth in my measure my soul is united and closely cleaveth to all the Children of the most high God and they are very dear unto the soul of him who is your Friend Brother and Companion in the innocent Love and Life of God over all blessed for evermore farewel dear Lambs T is 1665. William Bennit Dear Friend IN that which is Eternal and unchangable doth the unfeigned Salutation and tender Love of my Soul extend towards thee who art oft in the remembrance of my Soul which is in some measure sensible of the many Troubles Crosses and Tryals which thou hast been in and now art exercised with and truly dear Heart my soul desireth that thâ— Lord may inable thee to wade through them all in the pure Patience and true Contentedness and that thou mayst find the strong arm of Gods mighty power in the beating down keeping â—nder that part which would complain and murmur against the Lord and count him a hard Master and freet its self because the Wicked Flourish and the Ungodly spread themselves like a green â—ay-Tree and the workers of Iniquity are set up â—nâ—â—â—e Pâ—oud Lord it over the Meek of the Earth and â—â—eaâ— upon the Righteous as Diâ—t in the Streets Killed all the day 〈◊〉 aâ—d Oppressed like a Cart with Sheaves I say needful it is to feel that part which would freet it self because of thâ—se things chained down by the Meek Lowly Lamb like Patient Peaceable Spirit of the patient pitiful long-suffeâ—ing God of Forbearance and Mercy and to feel it curting and beating all Prejudice and Enmity that would be springing up from the murmuring fretting part against those who are â—â—struments of Iniquity and Servants to that Spirit that Persecutes and Oppress the Innocent and behold this Spirit of meekness keeps in coolness gentleness and patience and giâ—â—â—h dominion over that Spirit which in haste yet as it thâ—nâ—s in a Zeal for God crys for Fire to come down from Heavâ—n to devour those who are Instruments of Cruelty Iniquity and Oppression and indeed this Spirit of Love inableth to love Enemies to Bless and Curse not and seeks no Revenge but makes willing to leave all to the Lord unto whom dear Heart let us commit our Cause and sure I am he will plead it with his and our Enemies in his own time even to their Destruction and Calamity and to our Joy and Comfort in the end in the mean while the Lord keep us in contentedness and in dominion over that Spirit that would limit God to mans time and counteth that God is slack concerning his Promise who indeed is not slack as that Siprit counts slackness but is a God long suffering desiring not the Death nor Destruction of a Sinner but that rather he may repent and Live Oh that all those that profess his Name may be like-minded with him according to our measures and growth in him the Living God who is blessed forevermore My dear tender hearted Friend my Soul doth likewise desire fervently that thee and I and all the rest of our heavenly Fathers Family may be kept close unto the measure of the free grace and love of the Lord God in our own hearts that by it we may continually be kepâ— in the lowly fear and pure aw of him who hath called us out of Darkness into his marvelous Light wherein let us watch carefully over our Thoughts Words and Works lest in haste through carelesness for want of watchfulness we should speak or do any thing that may grieve the holy Seed and wound the Just one in our selves and bring a burden and load upon our own Souls wherefore dear Heart I cannot but desire that I with thee and all who love Righteousness may be kept watchful in the â—â—wly Fear close unto the grace that keeps humble out of the many words in the fewness of words that so in sweet stilness peace and quietness we may possess our souâ—â— and injoy the sweet incomes of the sweet Love and sweet pure refreshing streams of the Fountain of Life according to our measures that so even in the midst of our Tryals and Sufferings our heâ—rts may be made glad in the Lord and our souls may rejoyce in him over all the Rage and Cruelty of the Wicked that we may keep our standing on the Rock against which Gog and Magog and the whole Host of the powers of Darkness is not able to prevail and herein the Lord keep us saith my soul for evermore So dear Heart I leave thee unto the Lord in whom my Love is dear unto thee and my Soul simpathize with thee in thy Tryals and Sufferings and desire the Lord may bear thee up above them all in the bosom of his Love and Patience and minister daily unto thee what he knoweth is meet for thee and keep thee in a contentedness with his heavenly will that so thou mayst say with thy whole heart Lord not my will but thy will be done and submitted unto in all things whose will is our Sanctification So dear tender Heart in the innocent Love which drew me forth to write these lines unto thee I rest and remain thy dear Friend in the Truth William Bennit 1665. To the Magistrates of Edmonds-Bury Friends I hope your Nobillity and Moderation will be so far made manifest as to read over these following Lines with Patience and I desire you may Seriously consider of them and Sollidly to weigh them in that equall Ballance the Light of Christ in your Consciences before you Judge of them VVE whom the World in scorn call Quakers are a People that liveth in the pure fear of the Lord God and without boasting we can truly say we are a People who are led and guided by a peaceable Principle of Love which we have received of God who is the Fountain of Love by which Principle of Love we are made to live peaceable with all men as much as in us lies and fervenly to desire and seek the good and welfare of all People even from him
and I the dry Heath Springs of Water now I the solitary place Rejoyee and I the Desart blossom as a Rose I the Poor one made Rich and I the Weak one made Strong I the Foolish one made Wise I the Empty one overflow with Fulness now the days of my sore Mourning turned into Joy and the nights of my Sorrow turned into Pleasure and the seasons of my seeking him whom my soul loveth turned into times of sweet reposes with him in his bed of solace But oh alass for me I may speak of these things but oh when when will it be thus with me oh how long shall I wait how long shall I seek how long shall I call and utter my voice weeping saying oh come away come away unto me thou whom I mourn for whom I long after whom my soul loveth oh I have waited so long that I am weary and begin to be almost without hope of his coming any more unto me Well what shall I do and whether shall I go I will even lay me down in Sorrow and make it my Bed and make Grief my Sheets and Tears my Pillow and Sighing and Mourning my Sleep untill he come vvhom my soul loveth for verily I cannot I cannot be satisfied vvith another besides him Oh vvho amongst the Sonâ— and Daughters of Men shall I make my moan unto unto vvhom shall I complain and ease my heart unto vvhere shall I find one vvho is sensible of my condition that can simpathize vvith me and that can speak a vvord in season unto my poor soul oh is it thus vvith any as it is vvith me Yes yes I believe there is many hath been and many now are in thy condition Oh where may I find one of them that I might ease my heart unto him and spread my condition before him for oh verily my Bowels is very open to those who be in my condition well have patience be quiet and be still and lend an ear unto me and I may speak a little how it is with me and it may be if the Lord will to thy comfort for oh truly my soul loveth thee oh my heart is moved with compassion towards thee oh my bowels my bowels is open unto thee and my soul greatly simpathizeth with thy soul and could even wish my soul for a time in thy souls stead oh though indeed I am but a Child yet truly I am in some measure sensible of thy condition and can read it by my own and oh how willingly would I help thee according to my ability oh truly methinks I would even be a help unto all who stand in need of help but especially unto thee thou poor soul What art thou Poor so am I what art thou Weak and Feeble so am I oftentimes what art thou Empty so am I oftentimes what art thou Cold and Barren so am I sometimes what art thou as one Desolate and Destitute so am I sometimes what doest thou eat thy Bread Weeping and mingle thy Drink with thy Tears it is so with me at sometimes when I want the enjoyment of him whom my soul loveth for tâ—uly it is with me sometimes as it is with thee for sometimes I have not the enjoyment of my Beloved as I have at other times but sometimes he seems to be withd-rawn and to hide his-Face from me oh then it is with me as it is with thee oh then Sorrows take hold upon me and Trouble surroundeth me about as a Wall and Mourning covers me as a Garment and none seeth my Tears but the Lord oh then my Leanness my Leanness my Coldness and Barrenness is my greatest Burden which causeth me to go bowed down in Spirit saying in my heart Oh whether is my Beloved gone and what is the cause he hath with-drawn himself from me wherefore is it thus with me what is the matter what shall I do what will the Lord leave me what will my God forsake me what will the Lord now cast me off who hath done so much for me oh what is the cause that it is thus with me wherefore is the Windows of Heaven shut up and the Shovvers of Refreshment from on high with-held from me oh once I could say the Lord is my Shepherd and my soul doth not want he causeth me to seed and even to lie down in green Pastures and leadeth me by the still Waters and spreadeth my Table with Dainties and anointeth my Head with the Oyl of Gladness and causeth my Cup to overslow with new Wine But oh alass for me now I am in a Dry and Thirsty Land where no Water is Oh what hath the Lord cast me off for ever oh my Tears is my Meat and Drink whilst my Enemy saith unto me where is thy God dost thou think he will ever appear again unto thee why dost thou thus Hunger Thirst Cry and Paint after him alas it is in vain for thee to wait for him once indeed thou hadst the enjoyment of him once thou wentst with a Multitude with them to the House of God with the voice of Joy and Praise with a Multitude that keep holy day but alas thou must not look for such a day again And thus the Adversary of my soul endeavoureth to add Sorrow to my Sorrow and to encrease the weight of my Burden that so I might sink and never rise But oh the Lord my God is near to help me even in that time when I can scarce perceive him and when I am as Peter was ready to sink then his invisible arm of Mercy is ready to save me and a secret hope the Lord preserveth alive in me which is as an Anchor unto my soul which keeps me from suffering Shipwrack a hope that the Lord will appear again to me to my Joy whereby some encouragement I feel stirring in me to wait upon the Lord patiently and to trust in him though I do not see him and to relie upon him and hope in his tender bowels when he seems to be far oâ—f me and to roul my self upon him and surely he will appear again to thy Joy oh my soul who canst not be satisfied without his presence even the presence of the Lord thy God which thou desirest more then all things else whatsoever wherefore the Lord seeing it is so with thee that thou desirest his presence more then all other things surely surely he will not cast thee off for ever surely he will appear again to thy joy wherefore why art thou so much cast down oh my soul and why art thou thus disquieted within thee oh hope hope thou in thy God for thou shalt yet praise him the Lord will yet again command his loving kindness in the day time and in the night season his song shall be with thee even praiâ—â—s to the God of thy Life oh wait patiently upon the Lord and trust in the living God whose compassions fails not towards those vvho love him oh he vvill send out his Light and Truth into
of Love and Peace be with you and his Blessings rest upon you Farwel dear Friends William Bennit Eâ—monds-Bury common Goal this 25th of the first Month 1667. A Testimony to the True Light that lightens every Man that comes into the World The People that did sit in Darkness have seen a great and glorious Light and unto those that were under the Region and Shadow of Death is the Light of Life arisen and the Blessed Day sprung from on high and shineth in their Tabernacles and that which they have seen heard felt and tasted of the same they have and do bear Testimony unto though few there be that have received their Testimony For who hath believed our Report and unto whom is the Arm of the Lord Revealed But come ye O House of Israel and let us walk in the Light of the Lord. THE Light revealed within is the narrow Way to Life Eternal and the Door into the Fold of Everlasting Rest The Light-is the Entrance into the fresh and green Pasture wherein the Lord feedeth his Elock and causeth them to lie down in peace and quietness out of the reach of the Beasts of prey The Light leads and draweth those that obey it out of Darkness and from under the region and shadow of Death into the Land of the Living there to dwell under the region shadow of Light and Life The Light breaks the Bonds of Sin in pieces and snappeth â—he Cords of Iniquity asunder and sets the Soul free from the Bondage of Corruption to serve the Loâ—d in the Life of Righteousness The Light draweth and leadeth those that believe in it and obey it out of the Alienation and Separation from God into the Everlasting Covenant of Life and Love where the Soul is in unity with the Lord The Light searcheth the Heart and operateth in the secrets of the Minds of those that obey it and like unto Leaven worketh the Heart and Mind into its own nature frame and quality The Light is Pure Holy and Undefiled and hath no unity with the least impure Thought Word or Work but Judgeth and Condemns it The Light is Meek Contrite Lowly and Humble condemns that honour that is corrupt and is from below and standeth in respect of Persons and it seeketh the honour of God only The Light Baptizeth self into Death slayes the Boaster puts Flesh to silence that God may speak in his Temple who is not to be denied the Mouth to speak by The Light is the heavenly Treasure in the earthen Vessel that brings honour and glory unto God The Light hath no fellowship with Darkness he that saith he is in the Light and hath unity with the Light and yet loveth and walketh in Darkness lyeth and the Light hath no room place or entertainment in his heart The Light teacheth those that love it to love Enemies its fruit is Love no Envy no Malice no Hatred no Bitterness no Enmity no Prejudice no Discord no Backbiting no Reviling no evil Whispering proceedeth from the Light the Light condemns it all and that ground from whence it springs The Light hath no unity with any unfruitful works of Darkness but reproves them The Light teacheth to render Good for Evil and to forgive Enemies and to pray for Persecutors and to have love and good will to all People and to seek and desire the Eternal good and wel-fare of all Souls he that hates and envies his Enemies abideth not in the Light Envy is of the Evil-one he that saith he walketh in the Light and hates his Brother lyeth and errs from the Truth The Light teacheth to love God with thy whole heart and thy Neighbour or Brother as thy self He that saith he loves God and hates his Brother is a Lyer he that loveth him that begetteth doth also love those that are begotten of him Love thinketh no Ill to Enemies much less to Brethren The Light leadeth his Children into Love Peace and Unity with God and one with another in the Life of Righteousness oh the unity the unity of Brethren in the Light Love and Life of God is exceeding precious and comely it s compared like to precious Oyl poured on the Head that runs down on the Beard even Aarons Beard that went down to the skirts of his Garment and like the dew of Hermon and like the dew that descended upon the Mountain of Sion where the Blessing is and where the Lord maketh unto his People a Feast of fat things The Light teacheth and maketh to be of one Heart of one Mind of one Soul and in all those that walk in it begetteth one consent to serve and worship the only wise God in the one Spirit and one Truth The Light giveth a good Understanding a clear Discerning a sound Judgment The Light leadeth not into strife and contention nor into rents divisions and parties nor into a particularity and self-separation from the Body nor into self-conceitedness nor into high airy notions nor into a climing up in imaginations after high discoveries and so slight the day of small things and neglect thy obedience to the present gift through an expectation of something greater to come yet unrevealed and such like Lucifer mounts high in their Conceits and Imaginations but will fall to the side of the Pit but the Light condemns all this and judges that Spirit that leadeth thereinto which Spirit soweth Discord among Brethren which is Abomination and that Spirit leadeth some to speak evil of Dignities and to dispise Dominion and to rebel against the Order and Government of the Lamb The Light judgeth that Spirit that setteth up and keepeth up out of the comly descent order of Truth that thing that tends to strife and breaking unity among Brethren The Light teacheth those that love it to seek and endeavour for Love Peace and Unity among Brethren with all Self-denial The Light teacheth to take away the occasion of stumbling in thy Brothers way The Light teacheth to be very wary and careful of giving Enemies advantage to strengthen themselves against Truth and the Wicked occasion to reproach it and those that live in it The Light teaches to live and walk in a holy godly Life and blameless Conversation as becometh the Gospel of Truth and as becometh Saints of the Most High The Light in those that love it crucifieth the Flesh with the lusts and affections thereof and teacheth those that love it how to possess their Vessels in Sanctification and Honour The Light crucifieth the Heart unto the World and worldly things and redeemeth the Mind from the Earth and earthly things and teacheth to use the World as if thou usedst it not The Light draweth the Mind out of the many things where all offend into the one thing needful which giveth not nor receiveth an offence but judges the offences and that ground from whence they come The Light is Supernatural and is to over-rule the Naturals and to keep them within the bonds of the Government of Truth
Rend and Devour in the tender Love of the great Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls is my heart opened to you to visit you with a few Lines and in the name of my God and your God my Father and your Father I say unto you he whom you serve hath seen your Afflictions and hath beheld your Sufferings and hath took notice of your Burdens and cognizence of your grievous Oppressions and hath heard your Groanings and hath beheld your Tears he assuredly will in his own time rebuke your Enemies and plead your innocent Cause with your Oppressors and ease you of and free you from your great Afflictions therefore dear suffering Lambs of my heavenly Father lift up your Heads in the Name of the Lord God and take Courage and be Strong in his Power and Truth which is in you and with you and on your sides and it is the Truth that shall prevail against all its Enemies and its Opposers shall be Confounded and the Truth of our God shall Flourish over all therefore dear Hearts still cleave to the precious Truth of God made known unto you and let nothing separate you from it oh blessed be the Lord that he hath begotten such a Love in you to him and his Truth that such is your love thereunto that you are willing to undergo Reproaches Abuses and spoyling of your Goods Imprisonment and to be separated from your Friends and Relations for Truths sake oh dear Lambs great is your Reward if you abide to the end and faint not in well doing oh my heart is open to you in the tender Love and Bowels of Emanuel and my soul is refreshed in your Faithfulness and though many of your Faces I never saw yet I am one with you in your Sufferings wherein my soul simpathiseth with you and hath unity with your Testimony for the Lord and my spirit doth praise the Lord the God of your Salvation on your behalf in that he hath so mightily upheld you and born you up in his Arms in the midst of your Tryals though you of your selves are Weak yet the Lord is Strong whose Strength you know by experience is manifested in Weakness therefore trust hope and depend you upon the Lord forever who is and will be your exceeding great reward cast your care upon him for he your God careth for you and yours he is a Father to the Fatherless and a Husband to the Widow he is the Comforter of the Comfortless and gladeth the heavy hearted Oh be still quiet patient and contented in your Minds and wait upon the Lord and be not at all terrifyed by your Adversaries but in the lowly fear of the Lord God rejoyce in that he hath counted you worthy not only to believe but to suffer for his Name sake oh your Reward no man can take away as you continue faithful to the Lord dear Lambs my Bowels yearn towards you and in the Fathers love I salute you desiring that Grace Mercy and Peace may rest upon you and the blessing of the most High distil upon you as dew upon the tender Herbs that you ye tender Plants may grow and be like Willows by the Water Courses and as Cedars by the Rivers side that your Leaf may not wither neither cease bearing Fruit so dear suffering Lambs as none is to be through Joy Exalted above what is meet so none through Sorrow is to be Dejected or cast down but every one in all Conditions is to learn to be Contented with the will of the Lord and none to murmur against the Lord because of the Prosperity of the Wicked and Advancement of Sions Enemies for though they seem to Flâ—uâ—ish like a green Bay-Tree yet they will become like Grass upon the House top that withereth before it is grown up So unto the Lord God I commit you who careth for all his and is a present help in the time of need and leaveth not his Sheep and Lambs when the Wolves come to Devour but he the mighty God standeth by his People and sighteth for mount Sion and defends the Hills thereof and will put to flight her Enemies and with the Breath of his Mouth expel and scatter the Clouds Fogs and Mists that ariseth out of the bottomless pit of Darkness that then oh Sion thy Glory may appear as the Morning without Clouds and as the Sun in its Brightness thy Beauty may shine forth and thy Enemies be Astonished and Confounded forever This is the salutation of my Love who am your Fellow Sufferer and Companion in the Patience and Tribulation of Jesus the Lord God be with you and support the weak and little ones among you and keep you all Faithful to the end and preserve you in Love and Unity one with another Amen saith my soul Bury Goal 1669. William Bennit Dearly Beloved FRiends Brethren and Sisters in the Heavenly Spiritual Relation of the Immortal Incorruptible Seed of Life Eternal of which you are born again and become Heirs of an Inheritance that is Everlasting by Faith in Christ Jesus in and from whom Joy and Peace Mercy and Grace be multiplyed in and unto all your Souls Amen Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who through his abundant Mercy and free Grace hath called us and with the Arms of his Everlasting Kindness hath gathered us and by his Almighty Power hath raised us up to be unto him a People to live unto him in his Life and to walk before him in Truth and Righteousness and to Serve and Worship him in his own Way and Spirit and to bear Testimony thereunto and against the contrary in Word and Doctrine in Life and Conversation and for our Testimonies sake the Nations are angry with us and the Earth is moved and the Waters troubled and swell against us as if we should be swollowed up and wholly over-whelmed with the Floods of the Wrath of the Dragon who seeks to drown the blessed and glorious appearance of the man Child who is to rule the Nations in Justice in Mercy in Judgment in Righteousness and Truth well my dear Friends though at this day we are a suffering People and as it were Killed all the day long and appointed Sheep for the Slaughter and are set as a prey for the Beast of the Field and Lyons of the Forrest and though the Jaws of Death and Gates of Hell seem to be opened wide against us as if we should be swallowed up quick and be extinguished from being a People yet notwithstanding we can rejoyce in the Lord our God because our sufferings are infflicted upon us not for evil doing but for well doing and our Enemies have found no just Cause given them of us thus to give us up to the Spoylers and into the hands of Wicked Ungodly Unreasonable men but altogether without a Cause given of us have they taken an occasion against us as Daniel's Persecutors did against him concerning the Law Commands and Worship of our God so that at
vain wild wanton corrupt Nature that defileth and polluteth your Hearts and Minds Lives and Conversations and so you will come to be changed and born again of the Seed incorruptible of the Word of God which is nigh in the Heart to be obeyed and done but if you delight in evil doing and hate the Light of Christ in your own Consciences which judgeth you for Sin and will not come to the Light but live and abide in Darkness and will not receive God's Counsel and Warnings nor hearken unto his Reproofs nor have none of his Ways but will follow your own ways wills and works and fulfill the lusts and desires of your own Hearts and vain devices and imaginations of your own Minds and will not that the Light should rule over you to govern you in the pure fear of the Lord and to lead you into holiness of Life to guide you into the way of Truth and Righteousness then will the Light be your Condemnation and leave you without excuse vvhen the Lord renders unto you according to your Works and the wages of Sin is Death but the gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ Therefore dear People love it and imbrace it vvhilst it is near you even knocking at the Door of your Hearts oh hearken to it and let it have place in your Hearts and refuse not the Love and Mercy of the Lord tendered to you in the Light nor harden not your Hearts against the eternal good peace and happiness of your ovvn Souls lest the Day of your Visitation pass over and the Night of everlasting Darkness Sorrow Misery and Calamity overtake you and shut you up forever To all People that live and delight in wickedness The shew of their Countenance doth witness against them they declare their Sin like Sodom and hide it not Because I have called and ye refused c. Ye have set at nought all my Counsel and would have none of my Reproof c. I will laugh at your Calamity and mock when your Fear cometh c. Behold the day cometh that shall burn as an Oven and the Wicked and they that do wickedly shall be as Stubble c. Now consider this all you that forget God lest I tear you in Pieces and there be none to deliver Isa 3. 9. Prov. 1. 24 25 26. Mal. 4. 1. Psal 50. 22. AND you oh People that are void of the pure fear of the Lord God and have given up your Hearts to work Wickedness with Greediness who rush into Sin and Ungodliness as the Horse rusheth into the Battle and drinking up Iniquity as the Ox drinketh in Water taking pleasure in Unrighteousness and delighting in Uncleanness and wallowing in the Mire of your own Filthiness and Corruption fulfilling the Lusts of your unclean Hearts in Swearing Lying Drunkenness Whoredom Pride Couzening Defrauding and such like Wiâ—â—edness whereby you grieve â—he Lord day after day and wound bruise burden and oppress his righteous Spirit as a Cart is oppressed with sheaves oh repent repent and cease from the evil of your doings and leave off your wicked ways lest the Lord God tear you in Pieces and there be none to deliver Oh tremble ye careless Ones before the Lord Almighty who can consume you in a Moment and cut you off in the twinkling of an Eye oh dread the Lord God and fear his great and dreadful Name for the hour of his Judgment is come oh stand in awe of him who made the Heaven and the Earth the Sea and Fountains of Waters who giveth the Sun for a Light by Day and the Ordinances of the Stars and Moon for a Light by Night who divided the Sea when the Waves thereof did roar who hath his way in the Whirlwind and in the Storm and the Clouds are as the dust of his Feet who meeteth out the Heavens with a span and measureth the Waters of the Sea in the hollow of his Hand he comprehendeth the Dust of the Earth as in a Measure and weigheth the Mountains as in Seales and the Hills as in a Ballance in comparison of whom all Nations are but as a drop of the Bucket and as the small dust of the Ballance Oh will you not fear the Lord and dread his Majesty and tremble before his Presence who is a terrible one to the Workers of Iniquity that will not Repent who cometh vvith Fire and his Chariot like a Whirlvvind to render his Anger against the Wicked and Ungodly in Fury and his Rebukes in flames of Fire for by his Fire and by his Svvord vvill he cut dovvn the strongest Oakes and tallest Ceders and vvill plead vvith all Flesh and the slain of the Lord shall be many wherefore repent repent and tremble tremble before the Lord God ye Workers of Iniquity for the day the mighty terrible dreadful day of the Lord God Almighty is come and yet a coming and vvo vvo to the Bryars and Thorns that cumber the Earth for the day shall burn as an Oven and the Wicked and they that do vvickedly and vvill not take vvarning and repent but still harden their Hearts against the Lord and against his precious Servants that vvarn you to repent vvhose Souls mourn and lament over you in the sence of the Sadness Wretchedness Miserableness and Deplorableness of your Conditions shall be as Stubble and the Day vvill burn them up both Root and Branch and the Fire vvill burn up the Bryars and Thorns and clense the Earth that Truth Righteousness Justice and Mercy may spring and flourish therein and the Mouth of Iniquity be stopt forever And the day of the Lord God vvill be upon every one that is proud and lifted up against the Lord and his anointed and the loftiness of the stoutest in Heart against the Lord shall be laid low and the haughtiness of Men shall be humbled and the Lord God holy just and true shall be exalted in that day when the Wicked shall flee to the Rocks and hide themselves as in the Caves of the Earth for the fear of the Lord and the Glory of his Majesty when he cometh to shake terribly the Earth and to overthrow the Seat of Wickedness forever and to punish the World for their Sins and the Wicked for their Iniquity and cause the Arrogancy of the Proud to cease and to lay low the Haughtiness of the Terrible Wherefore oh People prepare prepare by true Repentance with speed to meet the Lord in the way of his Judgments before his dreadful Fury break forth against you as devouring Fire Oh bring forth Fruits worthy of Repentance and amendment of Life oh why will you die and perish in your Iniquities forever the Lord desireth not the destruction of a Sinner but rather he should return in time from his Wickedness and learn Righteousness and Live yea Let the Wicked forsake his Wickedness and the Vngodly man his Thoughts and turn unto the Lord with his whole Heart and he will have mercy upon
pity tenderness and compassion to your immortal Souls have I cleared my Conscience in giving you warning to Repent and turn from the evil of your own ways unto the Lord while you have a time before the door of Mercy be shut against you forever and time unto you be no more From one that tenders the Eternal happiness and good of your Immortal Souls a Sufferer in Bonds for the Testimony of a good Conscience William Bennit To those that are seeking the Living God in the Dead Forms Having a Form of godliness but deny the Power thereof from such turn away c. Why seek ye the Living among the Dead he is not here but is risen c. Know you not your selves how that Christ Jesus is in you except you be Reprobates 2 Tim. 3. 5. Luke 14. 5 6. 2 Cor. 13. 5. AND all dear People that are scatered among the many Sects and Heaps who have honest sincere desires and thirstings after the Lord oh love and compassion is in my Heart towards you and my Soul pities you and the more because you are seeking the Living God among the Dead Forms Shadows Carnal Ordinances Beggerly in comparison of the Life of Truth Elements and Rudiments of the World but cannot there find true lasting peace rest comfort and satisfaction for the immortal Souls Oh Christ is risen he is not there his Appearance is now more hidden more invisible more inward therefore stay not in Shadows rest not in the Likeness without Life pitch not your Tent in the Form without the Power Come come away you thirsty Ones from the Wells of man's digging which can hold no Water that will rightly and kindly satisfie your thirsty Souls and wait to know the Spring opened in your own Hearts which cometh from Christ the Fountain of living Water and drink thereof and be satisfied and go no more forth to the broken Cisterns but wait within in the Light for the Springs of Life to refresh your thirsty Souls Oh! come out of the Shadows to the Substance Christ the Light in you except you be Reprobates Oh! the Spirit and the Bride says Come and he that drinketh says Come and let him that is athirst come and drink of the Water of Life freely why do you spend your Time for that which is not Bread and your â—abour for that which doth not truly satisfie your Souls Oh! feed no longer upon the Husk upon Words without Life upon Knowledge without Power for that will puff you up in your own Eyes and elevate you in your own Conceits and shut you out from the Tree of Life and though you may seem to grow Rich and increase with Goods and want nothing yet when your Eyes come to be opened you will see your selves Poor Blind and Naked for he that covereth himself with a Covering of Words and Knowledg and a Profession without Life his Covering is not the Fine Linnen whitâ— and clean which the Wife Virgins that follow the Lamb are cloathed with who have Oyl in their Vessels the Light Life and Substance in themselves but they that only get Words and Knowledge into the Comprehension and grow rich in the Brain and have their Religion in their Head and know not the pure undefiled Religion in the Heart such are Foolish Virgins that have Oyl only in their Lamps and though such may blaze and give a seeming great Light in Words yet such one day will want Oyl and their Lights will go out the Lord will dry up all standing Waters that have no Spring he will blast all Professions out of the Light all Gatherings out of the Name and Power of God the Lord will scatter therefore come away from among them you Unsatisfied and Thirsty Ones whose Souls pant after the Lord and are weary of the Husks and hunger after the Substance And deceive not your own Souls by creating to your selves a false Peace by applying the Promises to your selves and acting Faith as you say upon a Promise but seriously consider in the Fear of the Lord and examine your own Hearts with the Light of Christ in your own Consciences whether you be in that State and Condition that the Promises of Life Eternal are unto yea or nay There is great Difference between man's applying the Promises forcing him to believe they belong to him and God's applying them and sealing them to the Soul by his own Spirit The Promises of God are Yea and Amen in Christ Jesus the Covenant of Light and Life and those that are converted into him pertake with him of the Promises of Life eternal but he that is in Christ is a New Creature the old things are passed away and all things become new and such walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and so come to be Heirs with Christ of that Kingdom that is without End But for any to set themselves to believe that they are elected in Christ Jesus unto Life eternal and so count the Promises of God are theirs when they are not become New Creatures in Christ but are in their Sin such deceive their own Souls for Vnless a man said Christ be born again he cannot enter into God's Kingdom So all you hungry Souls turn in your Minds to the Light of Christ Jesus in your Consciences and wait in it to know Bread in your own Houses Christ in you the Bread of Life which the living Soul feeds on and lives by that you may know the fresh and green Pasture and with us feed therein and drink of the still Waters and rest with us in the Light in the Fold that so we may all know and have one Shepherd and be all of one Sheepfold To those that are backslided from the Truth Remember therefore from whence thou art faln and Repent and do thy first works c. Return oh backsliding Israel c. I will heal thy backsliding c. But if you will not hear my Soul shall weep in secret c. Because the Lord's Flock is gone into Captivity Rev. 2. 5. Jer. 3. 12. Hosea 14. 4. Jer 14. 17. AND you who have tasted of the Power of an Endless Life and were convinced of the precious immutable Truth of God and had in measure received it in the love and obedience of it and by it were in part set free from the bondage of Sin and Corruption and redeemed out of the pollutions of the World but now are Apostatized from the Lord and have forsaken his precious Truth and People and like Demas embraced this present World again and are turned like the Dog to his Vomit and like the Swine that were washed to wallow in the Mire again and have made ship-wrack of Faith and a good Conscience and have proved treacherous both to God and his People and have denyed the Womb that bore you and the Brest that gave you suck and have turned from the Grace of God into wantonness and done dispite to the Spirit of Truth and hath trampled
the Blood of the Covenant wherewith you were in measure sanctified under your Feet as an unholy thing and have slain the Just and crucified the Righteous in your selves Oh poor poor Hearts my Soul pities you and mourns in secret over you and cannot but lament the sadness and deplorableness of your Conditions oh better you had never known the Truth then after you have known it to turn from it to your old Lovers again Oh whither will you go you Backsliding ones where and in what will you hide your selves from the Lord now you are departed from him if you go from Sea to Sea he will find you out and what can defend you from his wrath oh where and in what can you find true Peace Rest and happiness for your Souls seeing you have forsaken him in whom alone it is to be enjoyed Oh are you not sensible that you want true Peace Oh you that have forsaken the Father's House of plenty and are gone out among the Swine who feed upon the Husks oh poor Hearts do you not sometimes a little come to your selves and then remember the Father's House and do you not then find some inclination and desire to return again if you do return how know you but that he will have compassion on you and receive you into his House again though you have been spending your Portion among Harlots and have deal so treacherously by him and so much wounded and grieved him and his Children yet notwithstanding if you can throughly return unto him with your whole Hearts he can and will receive you and heal your Backslidings blot out your Sins forgive you your Transgressions against him and love you freely Therefore return return you backsliding Ones why why will you die and perish forever oh repent and do the first Works turn your minds inward to the pure and just One in your selves which you have grieved wounded and oppressed as a Cart is oppressed with Sheaves Oh that you might look upon him whom you have pierced and behold him whom you have wounded and even mourn and lament over him Oh to the pure holy faithful Witness of God in your own Consciences which you were at first turned unto you must come and the righteous Judgment of the Lord you must own and wait in yea a dreadful Cup you must drink before you can enjoy true lasting peace in God Oh that you could be willing to drink it and to pass again through the Fire and Sword yea through Death to come to eat again of the Tree of Life and live forever Oh that all you that are betrayed like Sampson of their strength by the Adulterous mind so as that the Philistine the uncircumcised Nature hath prevailed over you and put out your Eyes that you are become Blind and cannot see that beauty and comeliness in the Lord and his Truth which you once saw oh that the Lord would be pleased to visit you again that like as the Hair of Sampson grew again his strength increased so that he slew more of his Enemies at his Death then he did in all his Life so the Seed of God may be raised again in your Hearts and the strength therein and thereby may be renewed and grow that by your dying again unto that which is contrary to the Will of God you may witness greater Victory in the Lord over your Enemies and know more of them slain then ever you did Oh! you that find and are sensible that the Lord hath not wholly given you over but is yet striving with you by his pure Witness in you to return unto him his Truth and People again Oh! return before it be too late and before the Door of Mercy be forever shut against you for then if you seek the Blessing with Tears as Esau did you will not obtain it and though you call Lord Lord open unto us we have Eaten and Dâ—unk in thy Presence and in thy Name we have cast out Devils and have had power over unclean Spirits and have done many great Works yet notwithstanding he will say Depart from me ye Workers of Iniquity I know you not Therefore be sober and serious and ponderously consider and let these things take deep Impression in your Hearts which are wrote in true Love Pity and Bowels of Compassion to your Immortal Souls by a Mourner over you and a Travailer in Spirit for your Restoration To those that profess the Truth yet walk contrary to the Truth in Life and Conversation For many walk of whom I have told you often and now I tell you weâ—ping that they are Enemies to the Cross of Christ c. Phil. 3. 18 19. ANd all you who make a Profession of the Light and Truth in Words but in Works deny it whose Conversations are loose and vain and not consistant with your Profession nor answerable but repugnant to Truth you do not conduce to the honour of Truth but produce a dishonour thereunto by your loofe disorderly walking whereby you also give the Enemies of Truth advantage against the Truth for them to reproach the Truth and those that walk and live in the Truth and also you are a stumbling Block in the way of the simple-hearted that hath a Love and Desire towards Truth and a Grief and Burden to the Faithful that love the Truth and live in it and seek the Glory and Honour thereof and also you deceive your own Souls by being satisfied with a Profession of Truth without the possession thereof and you have no true peace where you are nor unity with the Lord nor fellowship with his People for the unity and fellowship of the Saints is in the Light and holy Life of God and they that are out of the Light though they profess it are out of the unity of Faith and fellowship of the Sons of God and such are but gotten into the outward Court where the Gentiles the uncircumcised in Heart can come but blessed are all they that do the Will of God and keep his Commandments and have right to the Tree of Life and enter through the Gate into the City where no unclean thing can come So all you that profess the Truth and walk contrary to the Truth come to be faithful and obedient to the Truth that in the Way of Truth and Righteousness you may walk as becometh Truth and that in the Light you may shine as Lights in your holy Lives and blameless unspotted Conversations to the praise and glory of God and to the peace rest comfort and happiness of your own Souls verily no Hypocrite in Sion can be hid from the Lord who giveth the Churches to know that it is he that scarcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins who saith I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every one according as his work shall be To all those that are Convinced of the Truth but still remain in the World's Ways If you know these things happy are you
on Courage and Strength unto the end and hold fast the Word of Patience that you may be kept in the hour of Temptation and the Preservation of your Souls you may come to witness by the Power of God through all Tryals Troubles Losses Straits Afflictions and Tribulations that the Lord suffereth to befal you trust you in him and depend upon his everlasting Arm which is your help stay and strength God will restrain the Wrath of our Enemies and dissipate the Purposes and confound the Evil Devises of our Adversaries so far as it seemeth good unto him the Lord God Everlasting who keepeth Covenant with his People and whose tender Mercy Compassion and Fatherly Care faileth not towards the House of Jacob his blessed soul refreshing strengthening Presence be with all his People to Feed Nourish and Strengthen them and Cherish them Support and Uphold them Comfort and Consolate them in all their sufferings for his Names sake and bear up all his little Ones for whom my Soul is in Travel and the Lord keep all his in the Covenant of his everlasting Love that if our Earthen Vessels be Broken and turned to the Dust for the Testimony of Jesus our Souls may rest with the Lord so whether we Live wâ— may Live to God or whether we Dye we may Dye unto God that whether we Live or Dye we may be the Lords and he be glorified in us either by Life or Death which is the desire of your Friend and Brother in the love of Truth Dear Lambs my love remains with you though Bonds hold me close be you bundled up together in Love Peace and Unity that you may be a help strength and comfort one to another in the Lord and let none be careless but all watch and keep close to the Lord and keep your meetings and wait upon God to be fitted for every Tryal yet to come neither let any be discouraged or surprized with fear through the terror of your Enemies you know that the Lord hath carried us through much already his Arm is not shortned our God is a God of Wonders let us stand still and see his Salvation which he will manifest on the behalf of the meek of the Earth that are appointed as Sheep for the Slaughter and hath no helper but the Lord God Almighty hasten it for his own Elects sake which cryeth Day and Night unto him Amen saith my Soul even come Lord Jesus come quickly and take unto thee thy great power to Reign for unto thee belongeth the Dominion for thou art worthy let all Nations come and Worship before thee and give Glory to thy Name who art Just in all thy Ways and Righteous in all thy Judgments thy Counsels of old are Faithfulness and Truth Bury Goal this 18th of the 9th Month 1670. William Bennit A Loving Exhortation and Warning to SEA-MEN and all others whom it doth concern YOV that go down to the Sea in Ships that do Business in great Waters where you see the Works of the Lord and his Wonders in the deep great Cause have you to fear and love the great God of Heaven and Earth who giveth you Life and Being who is the God of all your Mercies who in Mercy hath oftentimes preserved you in great Danger and Peril and delivered you when you have been ready to Perish Oh forget not his Mercy towards you but Repent speedily and Fear and Dread his great Name and stand in Awe and Sin no more against him whose Power is over all who commands the Winds and the Seas and they obey him When sometimes you have been in Great Jeopardy of Your Lives and the Lord hath in Mercy delivered you how little have some of You Eyed the Mercy and delivering Hand of the Lord therein â—ut have been Ready to ascribe the Honour of your Deliverance to the Anchor Cable and Manhood more then to the Lord and when you have been in Great Danger of your Lives and saw no Way but you must Perish have you not then cryed to the Lord to deliver you and the Guilt of your Iniquities being heavy upon your Consciences have you not been ready to make Promises to the Lord in your Distress that if he spared your Lives ye would Repent and turn unto him and Fear and Serve him and forsake your Evil Ways And when the Lord hath answered your Desires and in Mercy hath given you your Lives for a Prey when you came to Land have you then performed your Vows and Promises to the Lord or have you not gone on in Sin and Evil still let God's Witness in every Conscience speak for unto that I make my Appeal Consider how greatly it concerneth you Sea-men and so it doâ—h all other People to mind their latter End and to be ready for suddain Death let every particular One consider seriously how it stands between God and their own Souls Oh it is a blessed Thing to be fit to Dye and to feel Peâ—ce with God it is their Sins and Iniquities that make People unfit for God's Kingdom they that dye in their Sins must perish as Christ said unto some Except you repent you shall likewise perish without Holiness and Purity none can see God The Soul of Man is Immortal and can never Dye but must when it leaves the Body be in a feeling Sence of Joy and Peace or Wo and Misery forever The Wicked and all that forget God must be turned into Hell Oh that all People Young and Old may repent and return to the Lord with their whole Hearts and he will shew them Mercy Prize your time for it is precious and you know not how short it is Oh fear and dread the Eternal God that giveth you Life and Being and can take it away when he pleaseth It is not a talking of being Saved and Redeemed by Christ and of his dying for you will stand you in any stead that live in Sin and Vanity Christ said A Man must be born again or else he cannot see the Kingdom of God So dear People both Young and Old mind the Pure Divine Light of Christ Jesus in your own Consciences that which Checketh and Reproveth you when you speak or act that which is Evil and come to Obey it for it is the Way of Life and will Lead you if you obey it out of all Sin Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts into the Way of Life and teach you to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present Evil World Then Peace with God will be the Portion of your Souls The 15th of the 3d Month 1675 Written in Tender Bowels of Vnfeigned Love to your Souls by a Friend to all People William Bennit THE END
dark place untill the Day had more and more dawned and until Christ the Day-Star had arisen in my Heart over all my Enemies but my mind was still gazing abroad and imagining a God afar off and he was very nigh me but I knew him not but was hunting abroad in my Imaginations for that which was within me the Pearl of great Price was hid in my Heart but I knew it not the Kingdom of God was at hand but I was gazing for it abroad whilst it in measure was working in my Heart like Leaven hid in three measures of Meal c. the Door into the Fold the Entrance into Rest was within but I was seeking it abroad my Saviour was nigh but I imagined him afar off and knew him not nigh neither did any man in those dayes direct my mind unto the Light and Gift of Christ in my own Heart And as for the Teachers of the People even they in the highest Profession of God in words were ready they being so ignorant and unsensible of the Gift of God in themselves to speak Blasphemy of the pure spiritual Light of Christ within as many Professors do at this day yet notwithstanding make a large Profession and Confession of Christ in Words though in Works deny him and to say that which troubles a man for his sins is a temptation of Sathan and thereby instead of directing the mind to the Light draw away the mind more from the Light and such are blind and are under the wo that call Light Darkness Good Evil and are in that Spirit they were who though great Professors said concerning Christ He is Mad and hath a Devil why hear ye him but as some then replyed and said Are these the works of him that hath a Devil Can the Devil open the Eyes of the Blind so I may say Is it the Devils work to discover Sin and judge condemn and trouble a man in the unconverted state for Sin or is it not his work to lull People a sleep in Sin and to cry peace to them in their Iniquities and to keep them satisfied with a profession of God without the possession of a holy undefiled Life Is it his work to destroy his own Kingdom which is Sin surely no that is only and alone the Work of Christ the Light of the World made manifest within to destroy the Devil and his works he brings Trouble upon the Transgressor and ministers Judgement against the Evil doer he kindles a Fire in the earthly Heart and raiseth Trouble Wars and great Tribulation within before he be known to be the Prince of Peace the Sabboth the everlasting Rest for the Soul And now I know infallibly that that which in those dayes did bring trouble upon me for my Sins and checked and judged for Evil and begat good desires in me after the Lord was the pure Witness of God the manifestation of his Spirit the Light of his Son Christ Jesus a measure of his free Grace and Truth in my own Heart and if ten Thousand should assert or affirm the contrary I know their Testimony will be a Lye But oh alas for me after all this long Visitation of the Love Goodness and Mercy of the Lord to my Soul and after all this trouble of Mind travel of Spirit desiring and seeking after the Lord I got oh I got into a false ease in the fleshly Nature and in a wrong liberty and false security as it is with many Professors at this day who once were low broken and tender in Heart mourning under the load and burden of of Sin having sincere desires to serve God in holiness of Life who are now gotten into the form and likeness of that they then hungred and thirsted after and are therewith satisfied and feeding themselves with others Words and without Knowledge without Life and so are gotten at ease in the Pride Fashions and Vanity of the World and are at liberty in the Flesh counting it their Freedom to do those things that once was their Burden and Bondage and I became careless and by disobedience I quenched the strivings of the Light of Christ in me insomuch as the Burden Trouble and Sorrow which once lay heavy upon my Mind I felt little of although the Original and real cause which occasioned the Burden Sorrow and Trouble which was my sins was not taken away but augmented and I through Rebellion had almost murdered the just and holy one in me and had so grieved and wounded the Spirit of the Lord that it had almost ceased striving with me though at sometimes it would bring former things to my remembrance and then some trouble and sorrow would seize upon me for a time but I soon got over it again and turned from the Grace into Wantonness and so forgot the Lord whom I had formerly desired and sought after and my Heart ran a whoreing after my old Lovers with my Face turned back again to Egypt the Land of Darkness Wickedness the Bondage-House of Sin and Corruption which before was partly turned towards Canaan the Land of Light Life and Rest and so ran into such Evils as I had formerly been kept out of by a secret Power which I then knew not and I grew wanton careless and wicked and my Mind and Heart taken off seeking the Lord and run into and after the Vanity Pleasures and Idleness of the World delighting much in Musick and Dancing Sporting and Gaming and so made merry over the pure Witness of God by sinning and rebelling against it and by rejecting its reproof and strivings Oh oh the patience and long-suffering of the Lord was large towards me in that day who long waited to be Gracious to my Soul Day after Day Year after Year who in his Justice might have cut me off in my Sins and Rebellion and even have made me an Example of his Wrath but oh his mercy his mercy and long-suffering was exceeding large to me which by my Soul is not to be forgotten but in and by the Spirit of Truth which brings former things to my remembrance and sheweth things to come am I to be kept in a living sence and remembrance of the great mercy long-patience long-forbearance and long-suffering of the Lord God of Compassion towards me and in the sense thereof he is worthy to be praised and honoured by my Soul who would not that I should perish from his presence forever For after all this the Lord the tender God of tender bowels of compassion was pleased to visit my poor Soul again even for his pure Seeds sake which he had not forgotten but he remembred the Poor and Needy the Captive exile to deliver him out of the hand of him that was too strong for him and to loose him that he might not wholly die in the Pit and perish in the miery Clay and Gods precious Truth pure Way of Righteousness and everlasting Gospel of Light Life and Peace I heard preached and declared by his
precious Servants who were and are by scoffing Ishmael's Brood in scorn called Quakers whom I now ovvn in the Lord and the pure Witness of God in my own Heart bore Testimony to the Truth declared by them but long it was after I was in some measure convinced of the Truth before I steely gave up my Heart to obey the Truth but the Lord in time did overcome my Heart by the Power of his Love his inspeakable Love and made me willing to resign up my Heart in obedience to him and this Truth and to bow down to the Yoak and to take up the daily Cross which I learned by loving and taking heed to the Light and to dispise the Shame and to follow the Lord in that way viz. the Light which before had judged me for Sin begat desires in mâ— to know the Way which I knew not while my mind was abroad and knew not the Lord nigh who now teacheth and guideth me by his Light and Spirit in the way of Truth and Righteousness wherein I have found Peace Rest and true satisfaction for my Soul and witness my Teacher nigh though it hath been my portion with many other Berthren sometimes to eat the Bread of Adversity and to drink the Water of Affliction yet my Teacher and Comforter can none remove from me but he is and hath been with me in the Prison house and in the low Dungeon so that which now keeps me in Peace and Unity with the Lord and in Fellovvship vvith his People the same thing and not another vvas it that did formerly check reprove and judge me for Evil and brought trouble upon me for my Sins and that raised desires in me after the Lord as I have explicated in the fore-going Lines though I deny not but that I have novv a greater measure of Light and Grace then I had then yet the Light in quality and nature is the same for although the Light or Seed of the Kingdom vvhich consisteth of Joy Peace and Righteousness in the Holy Ghost be in the unbeliever and unconverted even as the least of all other Seeds yet nevertheless vvhere or in vvhomsoever it be received in the Faith Love and Obedience of it in such it grows and increases until it become the greatest in them and under its shadovv they come to sit vvith great delight and its Fruit becomes svveet to their taste and as a little Leaven in three measures of Meal it vvorketh and operateth in the Hearts and Minds of those that believe in the Light until it hath vvrought out the old leaven of Malice Sin and Corruption and leavened the Heart and Soul into its ovvn nature frame and quality so the same Light vvhich did condemn me for Sin vvhen I vvas in disobedience to it the samâ— hath and doth save me from Sin and now justifies me as I am kept in the Faith and Obedience of it and now it ministers Peace and Rest unto me and before it ministred Trouble and Condemnation So this I assert and affirm experimentally for an unerrable invincible Truth against all the Opposers Gainsayers Fighters and Undervaluers of the Light viz. that the Light of Christ who is the true Light that lighteth every one that cometh into the World even in the Conscience of that man or woman that is in Unbelief and in the Unconverted State is one in nature and quality with the Light in that man or woman that is in the belief of it and converted by it and the Light of Christ in the Conscience of the Drunkard and Swearer that doth check judg and reprove him for his Sins if it be believed in loved and obeyed is able to save him from his Sins but that man or woman that loveth Evil and hateth the Light and will not come to the Light but reject it such do not feel nor witness the saving healing vertue and restoring redeeming power of the Light but is only unto them a Judg and Condemner but they that receive it in the love and belief thereof such in through and by the Light receive power to become the Sons of God and joynt Heirs with Christ of the Kingdom of God which endures forever So blessed blessed be the Lord my tender God who is worthy worthy to be praised praised by my Soul in the sence of his Love Goodness and Grace whose Mercy hath been and is wonderful towards me unto whom be honour glory praise thanksgiving and obedience for evermore And my Soul having obtained mercy of the Lord and having tasted of his Goodness and Graciousness and experienced his Tender Fatherly Dealings with and towards my Soul my Heatt is opened with Love and Good will to all People Desiring their Good and Eternal Welfare in God To those that are young in Years c. Minde thy Creator in the dayes of thy Youth before the Evil day come c. Eccles 12. 1. c. ANd you who are yet young and tender in Years mind the Light of Christ in your Consciences which checketh and reproveth for Evil and idle words and works and it will learn you if you love it to fear and mind the Creator in the daies of your Youth before the Evil daies come and the Years when ye shall say We have no pleasure in them Oh say not any of you We are young and have many Years yet to spend wherefore we will take the pleasâ—re and delights of our Youth and seek the Lord afterward and Repent when we are old c. But remember the Lord God your Maker giveth unto you Life Breath and Being and how soon he may cut the threed of your lives and take you away from all your delights and vanities you know not for many he taketh away in their Youth Wherefore trifle not away your precious time in Sin and Vanity in vain Sports and Gameings or any Wickedness lest your Hearts come to be hardened in Ungodliness and you grow old in Iniquity and when it is too late you diligently seek repentance but you find it not wherefore take warning and mind those things in time before it be too late that concern the eternal Peace Rest and Happiness of your immortal Soul and first seek the Kingdom of God rather then the Riches Glory and Honour of this World which is all passing away and will not help in the day of Calamity and hour of Distress and Misery which will overtake the Wicked and all those that forget God as a Thief in the Night therefore mind and fear the Lord your Maker and take heed unto the Light in all your Consciences which is pure and holy and hath no unity with any evil thought word or work and love and believe in the Light that you may become Children of the Light if you love the Light it will save you from your Sins and redeem you from a vain Conversation and learn you to take up a daily Cross to your own Wills Desires Lusts and Affections and to Yoak down the